Revisions of the Regrets
by xShirochanx
Summary: The butterfly effect. The war is drawing to a close, victory tilting dangerously away from the shinigami. Desperate for any hope our hero stumbles upon another answer that seems like everything he ever wanted, but... IchiRuki
1. DOOM is Upon Us

**Revisions of the Regrets: The butterfly effect. The war is drawing to a close, victory tilting dangerously away from the shinigami. Desperate for any hope our hero stumbles upon another answer that seems like everything he ever wanted, but suddenly his mind is racked with doubts. Can love reach across time to hold on its 'only one'? IchiRuki **

**Rated T for language and violence. Spoiler warning for those of you who are not up to date.**

**Bleach does not belong to me but the poems/quotes at the beginning and ending of each chapter do and I ask that you do not use them without my permission. I work hard to come up with something for every chapter.**

**Chapter 1; DOOM is Upon Us**

_"Like a fleeting, sweet fragrance;_

_The taste of life with you swirled around me;_

_Before disappearing..._

_Like it was never there."_

The sound of clashing metal, screams, and a variety of nerve wrecking sounds filled the cold night air above Karakura Town. Chaos was everywhere around him. Ichigo tried to wipe the away the sweat that had been stinging his eyes. His hands were shaking uncontrollably as he searched around him for some meaningful task. Large holes distorted the sky, shinigami and hollow alike poured in and out as the war spread through each dimension. He, himself, had already killed thousands of hollow but they still kept coming. Frustrated, he tightened his grip on his zanpakutou.

From the center of the raging war dark red wisps of energy swirled around the Hougyoku that was suspended in the air. Ichigo watched it; wondering if there was something he could do about it... it was difficult to battle without hurting anyone else. What if he could end this all by destroying _that_? Slowly, almost in a dazed state, he approached it, trying to ignore the horror that surrounded him. As he stood before it, the energy fluctuated before being sucked into the small orb. Along with it all sound seemed to have gone as well.

_Nooo... is it finally time, is it ready?!_

_Thump...Thump..._ Ichigo unconsciously grabbed the front of his shihakushou as he slowly looked down at the world beneath his feet. There was already commotion in the streets below as the war, invisible to them, damaged their roads and buildings. He watched fearfully as the red energy formed a large circle in the town.

"No..." He gasped. Everything within that circle would soon be gone. He grabbed Zangetsu's hilt with both hands. Growling, he attacked the orb, swinging with full force. It stopped inches from the Hougyoku as if it were surrounded by some invisible force-field. Sparks spattered between the two. _No...No..._ He attacked with a series of chopping strikes, but each was as unsuccessful as the first. He quickly struck the blade out in front of him, the bandage tail wrapping around his arm.

"Ban-kai!" He shouted. His whole being was engulfed by his now black reiatsu as his sword changed forms. Finally, the reiatsu dispersed. Wasting no time Ichigo swung the ebony black blade. "Getsuga Tenshou!"

The orb was immersed into dark energy, and for one hopeful second Ichigo waited. But the Hougyoku remained unharmed. With a deep inhale he charged towards it and, using the power of his bankai, tore at it so fast it was almost as if all sides were hit at once. Still, it didn't work! Ichigo peered down. The buildings, streets, cars, people, everything closest to the perimeter of the circle was rising, breaking into thousands of tiny particles.

"No!" Ichigo panicked. Those were his friends... his family... everyone he knew and the place where he grew up... He reverted his sword back to shikai and placed it on his back. The Hougyoku needed the 1 mile radius of spirit rich soil for the spirit energy, right? If that was the case then maybe... maybe he could substitute it. He knew he wasn't really too good at this but it was worth a shot. He reached forward with both hands; they were halted by the barrier. Sparks shot out as he fought to keep his hands in place. Ichigo shut her eyes, concentrating hard. He could feel the reiatsu as it channeled through his hands. The orb absorbed it, Ichigo decided to heighten his output level, daring not to look down. Even if he couldn't fix what had already been taken, at least he could save what was still there... The tide suddenly seemed to have turned, instead of him giving his reiatsu he could feel it being sucked out of him. The rate was growing exponentially. Realizing something had gone wrong as the sense of fear twisted in his gut, Ichigo quickly tried to pull back... but it was almost as if his hands were glued to it.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Rukia swung forward, her zanpaktou easily slicing through the hollows white mask. She let out a small sigh as the hollow disappeared into the air. Her eyes searched the buildings around her; it seemed that this part of town was now evacuated. She felt Ichigo's reiatsu fluctuate somewhere in the air above her. _He must be fighting; at least I know he's alive. Don't go doing something stupid and getting yourself killed._ Rukia cleaned her sword with the edge of her sleeve. It was hard to fight with all these other battles going on around her. She could hardly use any of her shikai's moves without hurting someone. Suddenly she felt the odd change in his reiatsu, it was steadily increasing, but at the same time disappearing entirely. It wasn't the slow burned up fashion that was generally the result of battle. _Shoot! I should at least check on him_. She searched around the sky, as her eyes fell on the Hougyoku, glowing and swirling with a blue color she felt her heart skip a beat. The figure there..._ Ichigo?! What the heck does he think he's doing!? _Rukia ran and kicked off the ground into the air towards him.

She approached cautiously what looked like an out-of-control disaster. The young shinigami had his hands out, holding onto force field around the Houkgyoku. His eyes were wide, in a blank stare. His entire body was spewing out reiatsu that was being gobbled up by the orb in front of him.

"Ichigo!" She cried out, giving him a shake, but his expression didn't change. "Ichigo! Snap out of it!"

But it just didn't work... Rukia pressed herself against his back and reached over his shoulders. Her body felt chilled by the cool, blue reiatsu, her whole body was immersed in it. Slowly she put her hands on top of his. They were as cold as ice. She grabbed them, trying to pry her fingers between them and the force field, but she couldn't seem to get a good grip. With what little grip she had she tugged on his hands. _Come on, Ichigo! Cut it off! If you can't cut off all this spilling reiatsu it will all be devoured... and then... _She pulled with all her might, her strength heightened by her fear of what could be the outcome. The air was filled with a vacuuming sound as it fought her, then, finally, his hands popped off and the two were sent backwards in a streak of blue.

Gaining her balance, Rukia struggled to hold onto him. He was so heavy... but she couldn't let him drop to the ground. She strained, her arms were already aching from just holding him up. She looked down at the giant crater beneath them for a safe landing spot. She managed, just barely, to land safely on a broken street at the edge. Huffing, she carefully laid him down on the ground. He still wasn't snapping out of it! What was she supposed to do?! Rukia watched him for a second, hoping he would come to. Frustrated, she grabbed her head and started pacing.

"Please, Ichigo, how many fingers am I holding up?" Rukia asked, holding two fingers in front of his wide blank eyes. _I got him away just in time... it's almost all gone... how am I supposed to fix this? I know how to heal but... this isn't a wound. _Reiatsu was something one would slowly regain. _So...I need to wait, but how much longer do we have? _Rukia bent down and scooped the orange-headed boy's torso up. Hugging him tightly, she tried not to cry. Blood fell like rain from the sky above them as the shinigami continued to fight the now losing battle.

"Please," She closed her eyes and rocked him back and forth. "Hurry and come back. Ichigo... Ichigo..." His reiatsu was returning, she could feel it, but at a rate so much slower than it had been taken.

In this moment of chaos, though be it strange, she felt like she wanted to be with him. He stirred, she lowered him down, placing his head on her lap. Her attention was drawn away from him as there was a sudden energy spike. The Hougyoku began to bulge and change.

"...Rukia?" Her attention snapped back down. Ichigo was watching her, a little life having returned to his eyes. Over all he seemed extremely tired, but fighting it with all he had. "What happened?"

Rukia didn't know whither to smile or hit him. "You're body went into shock because of the rate your spirit energy was being taken... you idiot! Just what were you planning on achieving with that kinda stunt?! You could've-" She stopped as he turned away, looking in the opposite direction at the large crater in the ground. She watched as his eyes narrowed, filling with a pained expression.

"It didn't work..." He muttered, letting his eyes shut.

"Hey," Rukia said, her voice softening. "Don't you go givin' me such a weak look like that, Ichigo, or I'll have to hit you. You did your best, it was just... out of your hands."

He turned up to the sky, his glazed eyes searching it for some form of comfort. But even the sky, in all its purity, was not freed from the chaos. It was constantly obstructed by the continuing clash of shinigami and hollow. "That means that... we've lost, haven't we?"

Before she could think up some meaningful answer her attention was once again drawn to the sky. A new figure had entered from one of the many holes in the sky. The signature of his reiatsu was recognized by everyone; Aizen Sousuke. His spirit pressure alone dropped several lower level shinigami to the ground. The white-clothed figure slowly walked across the sky towards the Hougyoku that was now bulging and twisting.

"Aizen." Ichigo growled, pushing himself up. Almost in a playful manner he placed his hand on Rukia's head and used her as support to get onto his feet.

"Stop! You shouldn't move!" Rukia shouted at him, hurrying to her feet as well. He gave her an annoyed glare.

"Rukia, I'm not wounded. I just feel tired. Besides," He said, smirking. "I don't know what's more uncomfortable to lay on; the road or my sword. If you're so concerned maybe you should take it off next time..."

Rukia thumped him on the head. "Well sorry if I was more concerned about your life then your comfort!"

Rubbing his head, and cursing under his breath, Ichigo turned back up to the sky. Aizen was engaged with four of the captains, whose rank was only recognizable at such a distance by their white haori. Only seconds later all four captains plummeted to the ground, covered with deep, profusely bleeding wounds. Rukia watched as darkness hardened his features into a cold glare. His trickling reiatsu licked at her with an intense blood lust. He pulled out his zanpaktou, the bandages somehow magically unwrapping themselves from the blade. His stance changed, he seemed ready to shoot up after the ex-captain.

"Ichigo, stop!" Rukia shouted at him. The orange-headed shinigami rounded on her. From his intensity at first he seemed mad, but his features softened slightly upon seeing her grime covered appearance. He figured he must look just as messy as she did... although the difference was, even so dirt-covered, she was still so darn cute. His lungs were greedy for air, he was breathing heavily, his whole body felt weak. If she followed, which he knew she would, he was lacking the strength to protect her. It would, inevitably, get them both killed.

Ichigo walked up to her, with his free hand he grabbed her by the base of her neck and pushed the young girl up onto the sidewalk, until her back hit a parking meter. Rukia winced in pain as her aching body came in contact with the metal.

"Ichigo! What the hell are you-" She shouted, but she was cut short as Ichigo pressed his lips against hers. Caught up in the moment of shock and confusion, Rukia didn't feel his hands maneuvering around her body. When he pulled back he couldn't help but grin at the beat colored redness of her face.

Rukia stared up at him, eyes wide and totally flustered. But she regained her composer as Ichigo gave a quick yank with his hand and her arms were pressed tightly against her sides. He brought the handle of his zanpaktou up to his face and, using his teeth, tore off the bandage tail that usually streamed from the end. Rukia looked down at the tight knot that was now right above her navel.

'...Wha-" She started but cut herself off as her orange-headed friend took a few steps back, admiring his work with a tired stare. Rukia tried to move, but failed on account of the fact that she was actually tied _to_ the parking meter.

"What are you doing? Why..." She started, feeling annoyed and used, but with a quick glance up at the sky she realized exactly what he was doing. "No..."

"No! No! You idiot! What do you think you're doing! Stop! You're gonna get yourself killed!" She screamed at him, arching her back and trying to break free. Ichigo looked back over his shoulder at her.

"Don't move!" He shouted, although he held a mocking grin she could see a glint of sadness in his eyes. "Don't you dare even try to come after me. If you do... I will never forgive you."

Rukia was a bit winded from having her own words thrown back at her. He was already off the ground before she realized it. "Noooo! Ichigo! Get back here! You can hardly even stand, you wont last a second like this! Please! I-CHI-GO!"

Her screaming didn't phase him, his mind was set. If they were going down, he wasn't going to give up without a fight. Maybe, just maybe, he could stop this.

Aizen was standing before the morphing Hougyoku, a some-what 10 feet above him. Silently without a noise, Ichigo swung his over-sized zanpaktou at Aizen's back. It was met by a hand as Aizen turned to face him. Grabbing the blade, Aizen waved the sword up and down with a small smile. Desperate to hold on, Ichigo was flung around wildly.

"Ah, it's you again." Aizen said with an air of know-it-all-ness as he pulled on Zangetsu. Holding onto his sword Ichigo was drawn closer to his enemy. With a bit of shunpo he managed to duck under a punch but at the same time Aizen twisted his zanpaktou and ripped it from Ichigo's hands. Ichigo quickly shunpo-ed behind him but he was instantly met by the blade of his own sword. Blood spattered from the fresh wound down his chest as he skidded backwards in the air.

Ichigo cursed as the pain coursed through his body. He didn't have anytime to think as Aizen appeared next to him, swinging another attack down on his head. Ichigo just managed to dodge to the side in time to not be cut. He could still hear Rukia screaming at him from below, he knew that if she calmed down getting out of that would be easy... Aizen tossed the large sword behind him, at the same time swinging a side kick at Ichigo.

A natural reaction, he blocked with his right arm. The force of the kick sent a wave of pain through his arm that resounded with a sharp cracking. He squeezed his eyes shut, groaning, as several waves of pain ran through his arm. Unable to react fast enough he was met by another kick to the top of his head that sent him barreling down towards the crater.

_Shoot... I didn't even scratch him. How weak... why am I so weak?! I can't give up, I can't die yet... not yet. I can't let the everyone down. _With his good hand his made a grabbing motion in front of his face. White particles seemed to appear out of thin air as they constructed the hollows mask that soon covered up his dirty features. His downward decent would soon be over, he needed to act fast. Without hesitating Ichigo struck his hand out, up at the sky, up at Aizen. _I've never done this before... _He focused all of his reiatsu into his outstretched hand. A vacuuming noise filled the air as a small, red ball began to form in front of his outstretched palm. Then the world seemed to become muted for a single second before a beam of destructive energy shot up at the ex-captain. Aizen easily stepped to the side, dodging the flashy attack. Annoyance glinting in his yellow eyes, Ichigo prepared himself mentally for the pain he knew he was about to feel.

Sure enough, he crashed into the crater, creating a smaller crater upon impact. The sharp pain surged through his body in continuous waves. Ichigo gritted his teeth, his back arching and his whole body stiffening as he fought not to be subdued by it. His whole body straining against it, so as not to cry out, so as not to give into the darkness. His strength was both a blessing and a curse, he knew if had been weaker... well, he'd have gone 'splat'. Finally, after several long minutes, it died down to a horrible aching feeling. He could feel the cold trail of the coppery liquid as it leaked from the corners of his mouth. His mask was cracked into hundreds of pieces that were slowly sliding off his face.

Ichigo forced open his still yellow eyes. _I can't let him win... no matter what. _He slowly slid his good hand up to his face, repairing the crumbling mask. _It doesn't matter what happens... as long as he doesn't win... _He pushed himself up, ignoring the painful protests that were being made by his body, he slid his mask up to the top of his head so he could see better. _No matter what. I must..._ On his feet again Ichigo scouted towards his fallen zanpaktou that was stuck in the ground several feet away. He could feel the blood in his lungs... it felt almost as if he was drowning... As soon as he reached it he double over, his body wracked by coughing as it tried to rid himself of that blood. Finally it ended. Ichigo grabbed onto the hilt, wiping the blood that had begun to run down his chin. _I must... _Black energy swirled around it as he pulled it from the ground. The blade morphed and changed, hidden by its black veil. _Protect._

"Ichigo!" He heard the freed Rukia shout as she ran down the steep crater wall. "Stop it, you moron! You're gonna get yourself killed!"

He glanced back at her, pulling the mask back over his face. _Does she really expect me to just give up? _Did she want Aizen to just get away with it?

"At least we can fight together! You don't stand a chance like this! Please, you know you don't stand a chance alone! Let me fight with you!" Rukia shouted, getting closer and closer every second that passed.

Ichigo looked back at the sky where Aizen was approaching the now key shaped formation of the Hougyoku, trying to steady his shaky body. He felt weak all over... pain all over. _I don't want you to feel this. Even if I'm like this, I still stand a much better chance, so you getting hurt is... unnecessary. _"Shut up. I told you not to follow me." He said darkly before kicking off into the air. Rukia was shaking with anger.

"Just what does he think he can accomplish?!" She growled under her breath as she drew her zanpaktou. _He has to realize that he doesn't stand a chance! He's always rushing into battle without... no, he's not a kid anymore... he can tell when an opponent is stronger... he can tell when he's beat. But that wont stop him, will it? Ichigo will always fight, no matter what his chances are. It's not that really he believes he can win, or that he will be able to accomplish anything. He's just not the type of person who can just sit by and watch. _With a running start Rukia kicked off the ground, shunpo-ing after him.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Aizen smirked, examining the key that was floating before him, a gleam of triumph in his eyes. He reached out to grab it but his hand stopped inches from the handle. He could feel the approaching reiatsu that slowly seemed to be growing stronger and stronger. The ex-captain swirled around, catching the dark, black blade with his right hand.

"You're still alive." Commented Aizen, unsurprised. Ichigo watched him contently, hate boiling in his hollow-like eyes. Black energy leaked from his body, licking at the air around him. Before Aizen could counter-attack, Ichigo ripped his sword back, scooting back through the air. In a flash he appeared on Aizen's side. Aizen stuck his arm in the black bankai's path before it could decapitate him. Cursing, Ichigo disappeared again.

"Hakudou no Sanjuuichi! Shakkaho!" - "Getsuga Tenshou!"

Aizen heard the consecutive shouts on either side of him. He smiled and stepped forward. The two attacks collided behind him, the crescent easily breaking through the red spell.

Rukia gapped, shocked as the attack flew towards her. Before she could react, Ichigo appeared in front of her, his arms outstretched protectively. The arched force plowed into his top section, causing him to slide back a few inches. A torrent of energy slipped around his body, disintegrating the top of his shihakushou and burning like acid at his newly exposed skin. Only small strands managed to pass, but nothing of consequence. The crescent slowly died away, leaving his entire torso raw and blistered.

The shock of such pressure against his broken arm hurt so much worse than the burns did. Even though it still felt like his top was engulfed in flames. Ichigo grabbed his broken arm, holding it out of harms way, pressed against his side. His breathing was heavily labored as his lungs were desperate for what little air they could get. The world became unfocused around him. A jagged crack ran up the center of his bone like mask.

Ichigo shot an annoyed look back at Rukia, his hand releasing its hold as it came up, once again, to his mask. Rukia caught him wincing as he used some of the little energy he had left to fix the crack. She felt a shiver run down her spine as she met his dark eyes. This was the second time she'd seen him fight with his mask on, but she'd never seen it this close... was that really him?

"Go back, and stay out of the way." He snarled, turning back to find Aizen gone from where he had been standing. He quickly drew the sword he had hastily shoved into his oobi belt.

"Hadou no Kyuujuu, Kurohitsugi." The callous tone of Aizen's voice rang in the air around him. The two shinigami looked around fearfully but they didn't see him anywhere. Rukia gasped as dark, black energy spread under her feet. A mere second later sides shot up and she became entirely closed in. Her heart was thumping, she knew what was coming. She could hear Ichigo pounding hard on the side. She could her him shouting her name frantically.

"Ichigo!" She cried, banging on the opposite side of the eerie wall. He watched helplessly as large, black blades appeared all around the black box. With a cry of anguish Ichigo tore at the blade closest to him, slicing through it with his zanpaktou. It dissipated into the air. Before he had time to destroy anymore the blades shot forth, penetrating the box from a variety of angles.

"No!" He shouted. The box faded, and vanished, leaving no trace that it had ever even existed in the first place. A bloodied Rukia dropped, plummeting to the ground. Ichigo lurched forward to catch her but was caught as a cold hand wrapped around his throat.

"Let go of me! _Temee_!" He screamed, watching the falling Rukia. He glowered at Aizen, thrashing Zangetsu wildly at the brown-haired man who held him. But Aizen caught his sword and bent the blade up at a right degree angle before ripping it from Ichigo's hand.

A small smile spread across his face as he watched the representative struggling in his grasp. Ichigo yanked at the hand on his throat desperately. Still holding him, Aizen made his way over to the Ouken, his grip tightening with every step.

"Look around you, kid. It's over. You'll never defeat me." As he spoke Aizen slowly broke into particles that in turn dissolved into nothing. As soon as the grip on his throat was relinquished his midsection was met by a sharp pain. Through his blurry vision he could just make out the shiny silver of a blade protruding from his stomach. His body convulsed before slumping back onto the blade it was impaled on. His mind was slipping into the darkness. Slipping away... As was Rukia's life, having crashed unprotected into the crater bellow.

He reached out, taking a hold of the Ouken, his hand felt extremely heavy and hard to move. _Please... don't let him win... _he thought, his hand fell back to his side with the key.

The thousands of shinigami that filled the skies froze, turning to look at the limp figure of the representative. The reiatsu, the enormous, encouraging energy that they all had been able to feel, that had given them the sense that, as a force, they were unstoppable, was now disappearing, fading away. Under all those watching eyes, he was there... and then... he was gone. Completely disappearing, the key he had had spun in the air for a second before falling into the crater.

Aizen frowned slightly at the air Ichigo had occupied a moment before. The white garbed man pulled a piece of cloth out of his pocket and used it to wipe the blood off his sword. The boy had been an interesting case for sure... and one of the most amusing shinigami he'd killed today...

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Nearly all of the Espada and higher rank Arrancar had been sent to attack the Soul Society. Thus most of the seated officers were protecting their home. In the living world the past few days had showed little more than garden hollows so only squads of unranked shinigami had been sent. Ichigo and his human friends stayed in the World of the living to help protect against what they saw as an obvious distraction.

Renji and Rukia had gained permission to fight in the living world with their nakama. Until now none of them had faced an opponent stronger than Gillian class. But here Renji stood, face to face with one of Aizen's ten Espada.

His large, snake-like bankai slithered around him protectively. Blood stung at his eyes as it flowed down his head from the freshly inflicted wound. "Heh, you're not bad."

The yellow-haired espada watched him contently, over all undamaged. She readjusted her grip on the short zanpaktou that she held at her side.

Renji felt Rukia's sudden drop in reiatsu. He cursed loudly, preparing for another attack. He had to finish this fast. Pressure changes could be felt all over, but he could recognize hers with out a doubt. _C'mon, Ichigo, take care of her. _He willed, afraid he might be too late. He could feel Ichigo, whose own reiatsu had been raising and dropping to extreme levels, was near her. No matter how many times the kid was beaten down he seemed to stand up again and again.

Then... her's disappeared entirely. _Nooo! _He shouted inwardly. _That just can be right!_

Halibel regarded the shinigami thoughtfully, studying his expression. Another heavy reiatsu faded and she watched as the red haired shinigami became panicked.

_Both of them?! No! T-that's just not possible! They can't be- it's just not possible! _Renji's throat tightened, he allowed his eyes, after much of a struggle, a glance behind him. It was almost as if he were expecting to see the two laying on the ground, dead, behind him. But there, there was nothing.

"Friends of yours?" The arrancar asked.

Renji rubbed his forehead. "Heh...yeah..."

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Slowly his feeling, that he really thought he'd never regain, returned. He had thought he was gone... he had thought he was dead. The textureless ground below him radiated with a soft warmth. He was laying, stretched out, on his stomach. He felt... so tired... he just wanted to cuddle to the warm ground and sleep. But he began to realize that he felt no pressure from the surrounding reiatsu's, he heard _nothing_. Ichigo tried to open his eyes but was instantly blinded by the light.

It took some work but he finally was able to open them. The ground he was on was pure white, completely flat, and so was the sky above him. Both continued on forever into the distance, faintly illuminated.

He felt no more physical pain, the light from the ground seemed to pulsate through his body. It was calming, it was encouraging... relaxing... Ichigo closed his eyes. _I guess I am dead after all._

_Rukia... she died too I could feel it. I could feel her life disappearing... so would she be here or am I alone? What happened to reincarnating and all that? Hah... so is it really just emptiness after all? _Ichigo rolled onto his back, opening his eyes again, he looked to his other side. He had, of course, been expecting more open whiteness.

Instead he was shocked to find a huge building looming over him. The whole architecture looked like that of an old Greek temple. There were four long lines of blue-tinted crystal pillars that extended far back into the structure before ending with a beautifully framed door. A long, blue with purple trimmed carpet ran through the center to the door. Other than that the building was completely white. The roof above him was extremely thick. The whole complex was on a two foot platform that dipped into a set of steps at the base of the rug. The lowest of which was but a few inches from his hand.

"Wow..." He muttered, gaping at the building. Forgetting about the coziness of the ground, he stood up, once again surprised. For he was not wearing his shihakushou, all he had on was a simple white t-shirt and shorts. If this wasn't death, what else could it be?

He felt drawn to the door, even though it hardly stood out from the rest of the structure. Carefully he made his way up the steps, thus far too intrigued to wallow on his loss. The thick top was apparently hollow, the crystalline pillars ran up into the dark shadows. It was so dark up there... and it gave him a strange feeling that he was being watched. The rug was soft and fluffy, it seemed to wrap his feet in the homely coziness this whole place seemed to offer. Through the pillars he could see the continuous white that carried on its foreverness to the sides of the great building.

He was almost to the door when, as if out of nowhere, a figure appeared before him. The figure, who looked like a man from what he could tell, crouched on the ground holding a long, golden spear to Ichigo's throat. He had a bushel of messy, white hair and dark red eyes that seemed to hold a sullen look to them. Blue cloth, that matched the carpet, covered his face from the bridge of his nose, down to his shoulders. There were golden plates on his shoulders from which hung a golden banner that extended down to his waist, baring a bold, white, embroidered Kanji on it. Other than that he was wearing a clean, white shakushou, a white oobi belt, and white tabi socks.

"What business do you have here?" He asked Ichigo in a strong , masculine voice. Ichigo gulped, staring down at the sharp spear that was inches from his throat. Another blade pressed into his abdomen and a new voice spoke from behind him.

"Heion, you realize that Kami brought him here." The voice was soft, feminine, but Ichigo didn't dare to move even a little.

"I don't care! What does he need with a creature like this?! I mean, look at his hands! They're covered in blood!" Argued the one in front of him. _What? _He carefully moved his hand until he could see it, but it seemed perfectly normal to him.

"Maybe blood, but not life-"

"That depends on who you ask. But even if you don't count hollows, he would've killed that man if he could." Heion spat.

"They _purify_ the hollows. That's the flow the universe took in this dimension, unless you've forgotten. That man wants to kill Kami, he would've been helping us by killing him. I don't see how you find this boy a threat." The women stated, not giving in in the least.

Heion stood up, keeping his spear point straight at Ichigo. "Did you even look at his spirit? It's-It's revolting. How can some screwed up experiment like this... thing serve Kami any purpose?"

"If Kami brought him, let Kami see him!" Stated another voice, older sounding. Slowly Heion lowered his spear, watching Ichigo almost fearfully. When the blade slipped off his stomach Ichigo whirled around.

Immediately behind him were about a dozen people who looked like clones of the guy who'd stopped him first. The only difference was the white embroidered Kanji on their golden tapestries. _What the hell? I have to be dreaming, there's no way this could be real. _He, himself, didn't have a weapon but all these other people... or whatever they were, all had those long, golden spears. So perhaps it was best, for now, not to upset them.

"We're sorry for that. We don't really understand why, but I guess Kami wants to see you." He heard the feminine voice from before but he really couldn't figure out which one was talking.

"Yeah, sorry for interrupting." Apologized Heion, who was still standing behind him. "We're Kami's Royal Guard, we only wish to protect and support him. Ai and I don't always see eye to eye, but I guess if Kami wants to speak to this monster then let him." The white haired guard sounded a bit disgruntled and seemed to only half-way be talking to Ichigo.

Ichigo tried to restrain from taking any physical action. "A monster! It's repulsive!? What gives you, of all people, the right to say things like that?"

"You're a sad excuse for a child of the Earth."

"You-"

"That man's coming!" Squeaked a shaky voice from somewhere in the crowd of seeming clones.

"The boy's heart is pure, let him through, Heion." Ai commanded sternly.

"If you're blind..." Muttered Heion, annoyed. He was the only one of them that Ichigo could tell who was speaking, mainly because he was separate from the rest. Despite his bitter arguing Heion opened the door and motioned for Ichigo to go in.

Ichigo half-rolled his eyes before entering the building. One minute he had known that he was and that Rukia was...dead. Now he was stuck in some sort of weird hallucination with a bunch of freaky clones. He rubbed his face, hoping to lessen his growing headache. He snapped out of his trance, back into the now. The whole building seemed to be one enormous room.

An enormous room that was, for the most part, empty. Two giant gears were on either side of the room attached to the walls that were slowly turning, filling the emptiness with a low _cri cri cri_. Other than that there was a large, throne like chair right across from the door. Here too it was, unsurprisingly, white. Ichigo glanced around in awe, before his eyes finally came to rest on the figure in the chair. This person was the only person here. He was a very handsome, young man, with shoulder length silver hair and a spotless white suit. He had his head leaning on his hand watching Ichigo with interest. For a moment the two silently observed each other.

"My, my, my... you are a very pitiful being, aren't you. Kurosaki Ichigo." The man chimed, sitting up straight.

"Stop it." Ichigo growled. "What's wrong with you people? I don't see how you of all people have place calling me such things."

The man chuckled but slowly the smile fell off of his face as he stared intently the orange haired child before him. "Very pitiful indeed."

"I'm not pitiful or disgusting, listen- there's something I have to tell you."

"You know, you're the first person I've seen who didn't react to me saying their name before they've introduced themselves." He laughed. Ichigo could feel his nerves wearing down but her realized that hadn't even thought about it.

"What else do you know about me?" Ichigo asked carefully and curiously.

"More that you'd want me to."

"What do you mean by that?" Ichigo forced, uncomfortably. He felt a hand lay on his shoulder, the man was gone from the chair. In an instant he was standing by Ichigo's side, facing the opposite way.

"We can read you like an open book." He muttered, his voice now dark and sinister. "We can see all those feelings you keep bottled up inside, all of those fears you try to ignore. We can see what you are and why; a crockpot of all the stages in the circle of human evolution. But you weren't always that way, right? You keep telling yourself that you don't care about fitting in, but that's not true anymore. After you saved that woman, she told you she wanted to stay there. She was the thing you needed the most but you acted as if it were nothing. Was it that night, or one of the following that you lay there trying to pretend you didn't feel what was growing inside of you... that you realized your support was gone, she was gone. That you were alone, and you were changing . I can see how pained you've become, seeing your friends expressions every time you pull that mask over your face. You need the power but you hate yourself for using it. You wish that they could some how just accept you, because now you feel that they are all, to some extent, afraid of you. Please tell me, did I get it right?"

"B-but, that's not possible... there's no way in hell that someone... that anyone could... this has to be a hallucination..." Ichigo stuttered. "Maybe I didn't die... maybe I'm in a comma..."

The man let his hand slip off Ichigo's shoulder, frowning in disappointment. "I thought the Royal Guard would've at least mentioned who I was."

"Kami? That means that you're _God_? Does that mean I am dead? Where's Rukia! Is she still alive?!"

"People don't come here when they die."

"Then why am I here!?" His voice was raising, he still felt very shaken up from what Kami had said earlier.

"I brought you here because you were practically knocking on my door, begging for help." Kami answered, his voice melting back into an almost sarcastic tone. Ichigo stepped backwards, trying hard not to be confused, not to be shocked. _The Ouken...that's right, I grabbed the Ouken... _"Kami, Aizen's coming, he's going to-"

"Kill me?" Kami cut him off with the rest. "I've been aware of this for a very long time. Just like I knew you would come, and just like I know what the end of all this will be. Listen, there's something none of you understand. Life is... like stages. We work and work, learn more and more, and we evolve! Forever stretching our horizons. Evolution begins in the 'zero dimension', the start of dimensions. A rock for example is a being of the 'zero dimension'. A rock cannot move unless acted upon by other forces, it is a single point of consciousness. The seed for a conscious being. That conscious being will eventually learn what it is to be in the 'zero dimension' and what is gained. It will become a first dimension being, then a second being, then a third dimension being like you. Each stage holding more lessons than the last, more life times. With each stage more ability is gained thus more lessons are to be learned."

Ichigo blinked dumbfoundedly. "I... don't think I'm following you... and I don't really see what that has to do with Aizen."

"You see, humans seem to have many fancy names for me but I am merely a 4th dimension being. As a third dimension being you have now gained the ability to experience to 'move through space', the only limit being your very own body. I have gained the ability to 'move through time'', the only limit being my body. But the problem is that, like space, time is infinite, so what you see as time is the space or length between two points on infinity. It's just a blink of an eye. What can be learned in the blink of an eye? Nothing! And if one cannot learn one cannot evolve. So with my abilities I have 'contained' time on this planet so that time can be processed, lessons learned, and evolution takes place."

"Listen, Kami," Ichigo started with a sigh. "That's all very interesting but you said yourself he was coming! Shouldn't we be figuring out some way to stop him?"

"I told you I know how it turns out, because to me it's already happened. Unless you don't trust me, Ichigo. I guess perhaps you don't need everything explained, you just want it done, right?" Kami asked, walking back to his chair, he swirled around and plopped down. "A long time ago these people learned hate and they could no longer hear me, so I could no longer help them. I can only hear their pleas ringing in my ears, but finally someone's come, and I can help. Even if I rewound time again and again they'd make the same choice because they wouldn't be able to see why it was the wrong choice. So by helping you, I will help the world."

"Enough of that! Would you quit all this rambling! I swear, even when it sounds like you're gonna stop you just don't! Just tell me the point already, what are you getting at?!" Ichigo shouted in frustration. Kami grinned.

"Very well, I'll just go ahead and straight out ask then. The thing you regret the most; the mistake that killed your mother. How would you like to take it back?"

**Chapter End**


	2. And We All Fall Down

**Chapter 2; And We All Fall Down**

_"Like my spool; _

_I'll continue to fight;_

_To hold onto this thread,_

_That is my lifeline,_

_That is wrapped around you."_

"The thing that you regret the most; the mistake that killed your mother. How would you like to take it back?" Kami asked, his lips curling into a small smile. The second those words were out his mouth Ichigo was standing in front of him, his left hand wrapped around the godly figure's throat.

"What the hell are you doing, joking about that?! Don't you _ever_ do that!" Ichigo growled, his eyes burning with furry. Kami felt the slightest twitch in the boy's hand, and suddenly he saw all the painful memories his words had drug up. The pain the boy was feeling was like acid on Kami's skin.

"This is why I was trying to explain. If you let me it wouldn't have been so shocking." Kami said, cringing slightly under the boys grasp. He reached up and pulled Ichigo's trembling hand away with little resistance. "I am serious. I can, and I think that maybe it would be our best option at this moment."

Ichigo's chest began to sting with surprisingly intense pain. His whole everything wanted to say 'yes', wanted it to be true... His heart was throbbing, he'd suffered so much after that, he would've done anything to see her again...

"I can't... I'm not going to ditch everyone just so I can be happy... if you're not going to do anything about Aizen I'll still fight him, even if I don't have my zanpaktou...but I'm not running away."

"You won't win. He mopped the floor with you when you had all of your powers; there's no way you'll win." Kami argued, still very calm.

"I don't care!" Ichigo shouted aggressively.

"You'd rather die hopelessly fighting than try a different way around it?"

"How's that supposed to do anything!"

A sudden commotion from outside interrupted their conversation. Several shouts were heard from the Royal Guard members as a heavy weight crashed into the door. Ichigo's hand gripped at the air, wishing there was something there. His eyes widened in panic. It wasn't that he was afraid to fight, afraid of dying, or afraid of Aizen. He was afraid that Kami was right, it was hopeless.

"Watching you, I think that perhaps if your mother hadn't died you wouldn't have met Rukia, and there wouldn't be the means for Aizen's whole plan to be set in motion." Kami said calmly. "Looks like times up, you'd better choose."

"I'm not ditching everyone." Ichigo breathed, thoroughly sick of the man's persistence.

"You're mistaken, I can 'reverse time', not send one being back. I don't usually like messing with the universe's flow but this time it has led to its own destruction. Any beings who've moved on will be brought back to their stages at that time. You can save the world; all you need to do is change what happens. Or you can die here, fighting for a lost cause."

The door burst open to reveal a rather annoyed looking Aizen, removing a spear head that was embedded into his shoulder. As his eyes fell on Ichigo he looked earnestly surprised. But that soon firmed into understanding. "I was wondering what had happened to you."

The hate Ichigo felt for that man seemed to drown out everything else. That man was trying to destroy everything, all of this that he found so precious. That man killed his Rukia. He wanted nothing more than to tear that man to pieces, but he knew he couldn't. He knew anything he could do was futile...they had lost, failed at their own game. At the very least this was a chance that they all could live again. "Fine, Kami, I'll try it."

The moment those words left his mouth it seemed as if everything had stopped. The white of the building, the blood spattered scene barely visible from the door, anything and everything darkened into a monochromatic state. Then, just as if one was rewinding a vhs, Aizen walked backwards and the door shut itself.

Kami, still retaining what little color he had, stood from his chair to stand by Ichigo's side. Whatever was going on seemed to quickly excel as his life seemed to start flickering by. One second they were deep in the middle of the battle field, the next they were deep within the core of Las Noches. Ichigo was awed by literally seeing his life flashing before his eyes. It got faster and faster until the scenes were but flickers. Though a particular guilt began growing deep within his gut as he wondered what he had just done. He'd run away. Did he really do it to see if he could save them or deep down had he been afraid of dying? He didn't know anymore... He couldn't remember what his thoughts had been at that moment... He knew he would've lost so had he accepted Kami's offer for the right reason? Kami rested his hand on Ichigo's shoulder almost as if he intended reassurance but Ichigo couldn't help but feel horribly annoyed.

"Don't look down on me." Ichigo grumbled, brushing the hand off.

"When you're injured in battle it seems to exaggerate the outcome. If you lose, it feels even worse. But if you win you feel more accomplished, because it's proof to yourself that you did something. Being able to win like this seems too easy, there doesn't seem to be a wall to overcome so you can't feel you're accomplishing anything. Right? But trust me, this might be harder than you expect." Kami said in a strangely almost fatherly manner. The flickering stopped on a scene he remembered well, the grass sloop going down to the bank of the river that flowed through town. The sky was dark and clouded, the miserable grey only lending hint to the tragedy that was about to occur.

As if 'play' was pushed color intensed and the two were suddenly pelted by rain. Ichigo couldn't help but notice that Kami seemed to have gotten... older. The once young looking man seemed more middle aged. His face was set with what appeared to be exhaustion. The two stood near the sidewalk at the top of the slippery slop.

"So listen." Kami said. Ichigo turned to him, listen grudgingly. The last thing he wanted to hear was the man talk again. "I'll give you the rest of today plus twenty-four hours, that's until midnight tomorrow, to fix it and make sure it doesn't happen some other way."

"...what happens when the times over?" Ichigo asked, suddenly wondering if he'd misunderstood something.

"Then I'll take all of your memories of what happened after her death." Kami said, not returning his watchful stare but instead gazing out at the river. "Then it will be like none of that ever happened, since right now you're the only one who does remember. However this means that that woman, she is still alive. Aizen won't win. You've accomplished everything you were trying to do."

_Forget? _Ichigo blinked, not saying a word. He didn't know what to say. This whole thing felt so unreal, he began wondering if it was actually happening.

"Good bye then, Kurosaki Ichigo."

Rain spattered on the concrete before them, giving everything a shiny, wet sheen. His feet seemed to be moving, there was something in his hand... The ground seemed closer than usual, he felt... short. What was this all of a sudden? Hadn't he been standing next to Kami? Now he was wearing a bright yellow rain coat..._ wait_...Ichigo looked to his right. A tall, beautiful, brunette woman was walking beside him.

"Mama." He whispered, the beat of his heart excelled. It was that day... that moment. An urgent need to protect her overrode everything else. He grabbed his mother's arm with both his hands. "C'mon, Hurry!"

He ran, his mother in tow. For a moment she resisted but she gave in and let her small child pull her along. His determination got them far away from that ill fated spot before he lost his footing. He slipped and crashed face first onto the hard concrete. His mother drew a deep breath, her breathing only slightly labored.

Her gentle hand loved on his head as he sat up. "That was a bad fall, are you alright?"

Ichigo rubbed his face. No matter how badly he'd been hurt before his sense of pain hadn't numbed one bit. He'd been slammed into the ground from high in the sky and still survived. Compared to that this was nothing, it still hurt, but he really didn't have room to complain. He glanced behind them to make sure the Grand Fisher and his lure weren't anywhere in sight.

Masaki knelt down beside him. She was surprised that he hadn't even shed a tear. It was a bit unusual for him, that fall had been a bad one she figured she might've even cried a little. "Now what was that all about? Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. I was just...playing..." Ichigo's words drifted off as he met her eyes. His moment of desperation was over. The fact that she was there before him settled into his mind, the idea that maybe it really was her. _Mama...it's her...it's really her... _He slowly pulled her hand off his head, his heart racing at the mere tangibility of it that reinforced her being into his reality. The second he dropped her hand Ichigo lunged forward, wrapping his arms around her torso. She was knocked back onto her butt.

She was reasonably surprised, wordless.

"It's really you. I-I missed you so much. Mama... I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." Ichigo muttered, his small hands clinging desperately to the back of her shirt. _I got you killed... and I... I couldn't even avenge you... I never thought I'd see you again! Let alone hold you in my arms. _He breathed in her scent, memories poured back to him. He'd spent so long... so many hours... so many days wallowing in grief and regret.

Masaki felt her little child trembling. She hadn't gone anywhere... she didn't know or understand what he was talking about, but she wasn't one to disregard an upset child. She hugged him tightly. "It's okay; you haven't done anything wrong, Honey."

Ichigo clenched his teeth as his breathing wavered. It had become instinct for him not to let himself cry. He wouldn't deny that on some level he'd become emotionally numb. The number he became the less it all hurt... After her death he'd been determined to become stronger and part of that was to overcome those emotions that seemed to control him.

Masaki waited patiently, rubbing the back of his head, until his hold finally softened. "Did you want to tell me what's a matter?"

"It's...nothing." He told her, slowly calming down. Once again he began to feel guilty. He'd already gained so much from this, was this really going to save the world? Somehow... it had to or else they were screwed and he was to blame for taking away any chance they had.

"Let's go home, Sweety." His mother said, smiling kindly. "I'll let you choose dinner and maybe we can stop for some ice cream?"

How long had it been since someone treated him like that? Smiling at him with such affection. He worked so hard to stand up for his family and to protect them that he hadn't allowed that role to be filled. He nodded his head. "Thank you, Mama."

Walking with his mother had been so strange. It was something he had forgotten yet somehow still treasured. It was all like a dream... it was so strange... He could hardly talk to her, he was always so unsure; it was as if he'd forgotten how to speak to her. Now that they'd finally arrived home he was anxious to relive this past image of his family, his life. Yuzu and Karin, the two little tots that they were, ran up to him. Both had shoulder length hair and were wearing matching blue, plaid dresses.

"Welcome home, Big Bwadda!" The two chimed simultaneously.

Ichigo raised his hand in a half wave. "Hey."

His fingers were still a bit sticky from the ice cream cone, which was another thing he hadn't had in a while. He really wanted to wash them to the point that it was beginning to get on his nerves. He wasn't sure how his younger self would've reacted to being crowded by his sisters in a grinning welcome. Would he have hugged them, smiled and rubbed their heads? He didn't have a clue so he used the stickiness of his hands as an excuse not to do anything at all. He watched as his father walked up to his mother and kissed her.

"Welcome home you guys." His father said then turned to him. "How was karate?"

Ichigo's first reaction to having his father turn his attention to him was to guard. He crossed his arms in front of his face. But, finding no instant impact, he lowered them and looked at his father. Was this really the same man?

"Okay, everyone, let's move this little party to the kitchen. Mommy needs to start dinner." Masaki said, ushering everyone forward. "Ichigo, what would you like?"

His father grinned. "I see! So you've already grown and taken charge of the house! Making such adult decisions, what'll we do now? Our little boy's getting so old!"

He'd lost his violence but still retained that horrible comical air. Ichigo knew he couldn't react without being annoyed or angry so he instead chose to try and ignore it. The only problem he faced now was choosing dinner... he forgot how his mother's cooking tasted. He didn't remember what type of food she was good at making. He looked around for an answer. "I...think you should let Karin and Yuzu choose."

Of course his parents smiled at each other, proud of their son for being so generous. With that taken care of he walked out of the kitchen, headed towards the upstairs bathroom to wash his hands. It had been a long time but the house hadn't changed much. He paused for a moment on the top step to listen to his little twin sisters shouting 'pizza! pizza' down below. It was sweet indeed.

In the bathroom he stared at the water as it flowed over his hands, trying to sort everything out in his head. The previous events were jumbled and he wasn't 100 percent sure anymore just how he got there. He was like a child, continually lured by the sweetness of the candy. He had a feeling in his gut; he knew somehow this would turn bittersweet.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

After a dinner of delivery pizza the kids were all put to bed and the two older Kurosaki's were busy tidying up the kitchen. Isshin stuffed the large boxes into the trash, either they were being stubborn for not going in or he was being stubborn for trying to force such big boxes into the small trash can. Finally the cardboard gave way, leaving the doctor the victor.

"You okay?" Masaki asked from the sink where she was washing the small pile of plates. Isshin leaned against the counter, looking his wife over.

"I'm fine, how 'bout you? It seems like there's been something on your mind."

Masaki frowned. "It's Ichigo, it's just... he's been acting so different. He seemed just fine when I picked him up but on the way home he suddenly just seemed so upset. He kept apologizing. I really hope I didn't make him feel guilty about something."

"Really? That's strange, did you try talking to him?"

"I did but he wouldn't tell me what was the matter." Masaki said, setting the last plate on the drying rack behind her husband. "It's not like him."

"Maybe he's just like his mother." Isshin grinned. Masaki gave him a quizzical look as she dried her hands. "You never want to bother him with any of your worries, so maybe he doesn't want to bother you with his. He's still really little, maybe he just... popped." Isshin opened his hand in an exaggerated motion to symbolize something popping.

"He is getting older... perhaps I can't rely on him to tell me everything. I think you're right; I'll try talking to him again. Thank you, honey." Masaki kissed her husband on the cheek. "I'm, so glad I married such an intelligent man."

"I'll have to savor that compliment. People don't usually say that."

"Probably because you're such a goofball."

"Would you love me anymore if I wasn't?"

"Of course not! I love you just the way you are." Masaki said with a sweet smile. "My lovely, intelligent, goofball of a husband."

"So what's my beautiful wife got planned next? Did you want to watch a movie or something?" Isshin asked. Masaki thought for a moment.

"That's a good idea but I want to see if Ichigo is still awake first. I want to try to talk to him. If he is upset I don't think I could watch a movie knowing he was mulling over stuff like that, all alone in the dark."

"Well you better hurry." Isshin warned, looking at the kitchen clock. "That boy's slept like a rock since Yuzu and Karin were born."

Ichigo stared up at his white ceiling through the dark veil of night. His room overall was the same. However several posters hung on his walls of things he'd forgotten he even liked at that age. His old desk was topped with crayons and notebooks rather than 2 Hb pencils and textbooks. His sheets and pillow case were light blue instead of an eggshell white. The unfamiliarity gripped at him like an agonizing claw. He really didn't remember anything from this time in his life... yet that one moment was still so vivid to him. It was as if everything around his mother's demise was a large, blurry gap.

His thoughts shifted to what his life had been like before the war. He thought of all his nakama who'd stuck by his side through thick or thin all the way to the very end. What now? He felt so alone, everything felt so fake. Was this hallucination supposed to be some sort of Heaven for him? He had died. He had died... him and Rukia. That as well was etched into his memory; staring on helplessly as her life slipped away before the sharp blade slipped through his torso, stealing away the little bit of life he had left. What had Kami done? Save him? Or did he actually even exist at all? And Rukia... Ichigo turned red. _That's right... I kissed her._ He longed for her. If this was all true she was alive, he was alive, and they'd live the rest of their lives without the other.

Ichigo's longing was interrupted by a soft knocking on his bedroom door. He rolled onto his side and squeezed his eyes shut. Only a moment later it opened.

Masaki walked in and stood by the door, trying to detect movement from the dark bed. Even though her site caught nothing she sat down on the foot of his bed. She ran her hand through her long, brunette hair a few times before finally speaking. "Did you want to talk?"

Ichigo didn't answer, he didn't move. He didn't really know why, it was his mother after all, but he didn't.

"If there's something on your mind it would feel better if you talked to someone. You don't have to hide things. It would actually make Mommy feel better too. So if there's something you need help with, or get off your chest just tell me, okay?" Masaki said, giving him a loving pat on the leg. She left, shutting the door behind her.

Ichigo waited a few seconds before releasing a staggered breath. He pushed himself into a sitting position and grabbed his head. "What the hell am I doing? Just what is all of this?!" _I'm so confused. Is that really Mama? Am I really me?! I shouldn't just be laying around! But then what should I be doing?_

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Isshin Kurosaki sat in the dark living room, awaiting his wife's return. He frowned at the dark air around him, not necessarily because he was upset but he felt _bothered_. The already vibrant reiatsu he'd always felt from his son had spiked sometime while they were out. It had spiked and changed, now Ichigo felt like a whole different person. He'd wondered for a long time if his son could see, but now he was pretty certain. How was it possible that he now had the explosive energy of a Gotei 13 captain? Something had happened, he was positive.

Masaki plopped onto the couch with a sigh. "He's pretending to be asleep."

"Pretending? Are you you sure?" Isshin asked.

"Of course, I've always been able to tell when he was pretending. He's always been my little baby boy. He just tries too hard." Masaki told him, she sank back into the couch. For a moment a sullen veil covered her beautiful features, causing her to appear older and worn. "I just really wish he wouldn't... he's never acted like this. I think something's happened."

"Something bad?" Isshin gave his wife a look of concern.

"Something...not conducive to his well being." Masaki answered. Isshin patted her leg comfortingly.

"I'm sure it will all work out. You are his mother after all, he's clung to you since he was a baby. When he's ready I'm certain he'll tell you."

"Thank you."

The two silently exchanged looks that said exactly how much in love they still were with the other. Neither ever wanted anything else.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

The sun peeked through the dew coated window to find the little boy still sitting upon his bed. Ichigo blinked, his head leaning forward, willing him to welcome sleep, every time his eyes closed. But he forced them open each time to focus on the white of the opposing wall. He'd gone all night trying to stay awake. Sleeping just felt so wrong.

Besides that he had a... possibly bad... habit of trying to prove his strength to himself. This just was one of those times. Bad things seemed to happen all because he wasn't strong enough. _If I wasn't so weak I wouldn't be in this situation! If I wasn't so weak I could've defeated Aizen! If I wasn't so weak I could've protected..._ He drew a blank. _I could've protected her. Her name... what's her name?! Why can't I remember it?! _He couldn't even picture her, he could no longer remember how she looked.

_Ba-bump, Ba-bump, Ba-bump. _Frantic with panic he racked his brain for the lost information. _That woman...changed my life...it was... it was... Rukia. _As it came back to him it seemed so obvious.

"How could I forget?" He muttered aloud. "How could I forget something like that?!"

He recalled what Kami had said, right before he found himself in _this_. "Until midnight tomorrow... Then I'll take all of your memories."

He couldn't believe that he'd forgotten... even if just for a little bit. This was the start... he would forget it all. Now it was inevitable, he would forget about all of it. He slipped off the bed in a daze. He would forget about her. Those times had been extremely difficult but it was almost as if all of that had made him into who he was. Everything he would forget was so overwhelming.

"I-I can't forget it all." He stated. _Why? _Why did he have to forget? What did that have to do with anything?!

Ichigo looked up at the ceiling, the sky. "Kami! Stop this! It's not necessary!"

There was no sign of response.

"Come here! Kami! Don't take them away! There's no reason! Don't make me forget! Kami!"

Still no sign of response.

"I'm not going to do this! I don't want to forget! Kami, please! I don't want to forget. Please, Kami, I'll do what you want me to, just don't make me forget about them!" He shouted still staring upwards. Minutes of silence stretched before him, still holding no answer.

Ichigo dropped to his hands and knees. He was trapped, encaged in this fake reality. There was no escaping it. This 'forgetfulness' had already begun to sneak up on him. If he wasn't careful it would snatch it all away before the day was even over. "Damn it!"

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Masaki scooped up the last egg and dumped it onto a small, plastic plate bearing a picture of Winnie Pooh. She carried the five plates and set them around the table. The young mother smiled, proud of her hard work. Now it was time to tell everyone it was breakfast time!

Suddenly her two little four year olds came scurrying down the stairs shouting. "Mommy! Mommy!"

They were in such a hurry that they practically crashed into her. Yuzu and Karin grabbed handfuls of her skirt, both of them were shouting what seemed to be urgent news, but they were drowning the other out.

"Now, now." Masaki said kindly. "One at a time."

"I think Big Bwadda is cwying!" Yuzu was the first to speak, her voice was suddenly hushed.

"He was shouting! He was saying dat he didn't want to forget." Karin whispered.

Masaki smiled at her girls, patting each of them on the head. "Thank you, Mommy is going to go check on him. You two sit at your places and we'll be there in a moment."

_At least now I have something to go on._

Masaki entered her son's room this time without knocking, even though it was discourteous. She was rather surprised to find him sitting in the fetal position on the floor in front of his bed. He met her with an almost blank stare. Masaki lingered at the door for a moment before sitting next to him. She set a black spiral notebook in front of him.

"When Mommy wants to remember something I write them down. And then I can make sure I don't forget because if I do I remember when I read it! You just need to put it somewhere you'll end up seeing it." Masaki explained, setting a blue mechanical pencil on top of the notebook.

"Keh, you were eavesdropping?" Ichigo muttered, his voice full of spite. He was thoroughly convinced this was fake. There was no way this could actually happen, there was no way his mother was actually beside him.

"No...no. Your sisters said you were shouting. If you don't want people to hear you then you should keep your voice down." She said, teasingly prodding him in the side. He glared at her with an intense annoyance; he didn't have the will nor the patience to put up with someone impersonating such a person as his mother. She instantly drew back. _I've never seen him so angry. Something definitely happened. But what?_

"Did something happen at the dojo yesterday?" Masaki asked.

"It's nothing."

"It's not nothing, you're acting like a whole different person. Mommy can tell you're upset. Please, I can help, what happened Ichigo?" Her voice held a pleading tone.

"You're not real. You aren't my Mama... so just leave me alone... and stop pretending. You're not my mother."

Masaki stared at him, speechless. She didn't doubt she was his mother, not even a little. She remembered clearly the day he was born. What would make him doubt that? '_You're not real'? _"You know, I'm sitting right here next to you, I'm pretty sure I'm real. But... even if I wasn't somehow, I'm still beside you, aren't I? I can still touch you, and smell you, and hear you. You can still touch me, and smell me, and hear me. So I can still feel, just like you can, and do you know what I feel?"

Ichigo didn't respond.

"I feel the enormous amount of love that I have all for one little boy. So if for some reason I'm not real, isn't that enough? What does it matter? You're still my son and I still love you." Masaki scooped him up into her arms. She ran her hand through his hair as she hugged him to her. "I love you so so much!"

Was it really fake? She felt so warm, so comforting. Was the fakeness just because he was afraid to take responsibility for his choice? Even if this was a false reality, it was the last reality he would ever know. "I...love you too." _I'll miss you Mama. I'm going to forget everything, I'm going to disappear... then a different me, a younger me will be able to grow up with you there._

"Did you want to come eat breakfast?" Masaki asked, releasing her hold on him.

"I'm not hungry." He lied.

"Are you okay? Is there anything you want to talk about?"

"No, I'm fine." _This is a different type of battle. _"There's something I have to do." _It's the only way I can win. You're truly an amazing woman Mama. If you're real, if you're not, it's just like how I remember._

After a minute or so Masaki left. Ichigo inspected his own now childishly small hands before picking up the note book. _I'm going to write it all down. Then maybe someday when I read it I'll remember. At the very least I'll have something that proves this actually happened and everything we worked so hard to achieve existed and happened. _He would in someway have his victory over this 'forgetting'.

"You're a cheapskate, Kami, you know that? You said I had until midnight but you're trying to take them away already. The least you could do was stick to what you told me." He muttered angrily as the pencil began to glide across the paper.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Isshin devoured his fried eggs like a ravaging beast hungry for any form of food he could find. The two little girls banged their dishes, occasionally shoving fork fulls of French toast and eggs into their tiny mouths.

"Seconds anyone?" Masaki asked, wiping the syrup off her hands.

"You look happier, did he finally tell you what's going on?" Isshin asked, setting his fork down on his plate.

"Well... sort of. He seemed at least a bit better. It was weird, he told me I wasn't real." She said.

"What?! That's strange. What did you say to make him feel better?"

"I guess... I just told him I love him even if I'm not real."

Isshin was shocked. "And it worked?!"

"Yeah, it seems so." Masaki picked up her husband's plate and took both of them to the sink. "I'm guessing that was no for seconds."

"I'm full, thank you though. Our son...he's really something, isn't he? I wonder where he got the notion that you weren't real. Who even says that?"

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

The day wore on and on... he wrote and wrote, trying to fit as much as he could on one page. Ichigo had refused to eat anything, he couldn't risk taking a break. The moment he broke from his intense concentration something he'd yet to write could just slip away. Morning melted away to afternoon as his hand writing melted from the skilled penciling of a High school student to the sloppy beginner scrawl of an elementary student. He tried hard to put in as much detail as he could, the realer he could make it sound, the better; the more of a memory it would retain.

It was around 3 o'clock when the girls wandered in to see why he'd cooped himself up in his room all day. Yuzu sat quietly in front of his closet, playing with her bunny. Even at a young age she was meek and sweet. Karin was laying on her stomach, her feet kicking the air as she pouted at her brother. They weren't being noisy so he'd sort of even forgotten they were there. Before, of course it was inevitable that two four year olds wouldn't stay quiet forever, Karin piped up. "What are you dwawing, Big Bwadda?"

"I'm writing." He muttered.

"You shouwd wwite about a pwincess!" Yuzu said, grinning. "A pwetty pwincess and a pwince who saves hew and dey wive happiwy evew aftew!"

"But fiwst he shouwd have to defeat a giant monstew!" Karin shouted enthusiastically. "Ow an eviw witch!"

Ichigo couldn't help but picture the great Byakuya in all his fanciful nobleness baring a wart on his nose and a pointed hat. _Maybe it was sort of like a fairy tale...with, for that moment at least, a happy ending._

"And in the end dey need to kiss!" Little Yuzu smiled, a dreamy look in her eyes. Ichigo's obsessive writing came to a sudden halt. _A kiss? _In a way... it had eventually come to that... although he'd just done it to distract her. It really hadn't been anything special...he'd been trying to save her but he'd failed. Ichigo fiddled with his pencil. _Is she still out there now? Is she still alive in the Soul Society?_

"Big Bwadda, are you sad?" Karin asked, noticing the change.

Ichigo tapped the paper several times before he continued writing. "I'm fine."

He got sucked back into his writing. _'I landed on the Senzaikyu's bridge right in front of Rukia. Without making eye contact I walked right past her. There was a lot I wanted to say to her and I knew she was shocked to see me but I wanted to make sure I apologized to Hanatarou first. Although I could see they'd had a hard time Hanatarou didn't complain. He just seemed glad to see me...'_

"Hewe, Big Bwadda." Yuzu said. She was standing in front of him, her bunny in her outstretched hands. "Bwunny'll hewp you fell bettew! Bwunny always makes me feel bettew."

"Oh, uh... thanks." Ichigo said, taking the bunny. Yuzu smiled and ran to the door.

"Let's go pway!" She shouted, running out the door. "You can't catch me!"

Karin climbed to her feet and took off after her sister shouting. "I can! I can!"

Then once again he was alone... well, except for Bwunny that is. The small doll sat at his side as he scribbled on in desperation. Desperation gave him determination which was one thing Kurosaki Ichigo could accomplish anything with. As long as his mind was clear, as long as he knew what needed done, he could do it. It was when fear and confusion boiled in his heart in a disgusting blend that he failed. When he was unsure of what to do that he lost precious time and... couldn't do it.

The sun set, Ichigo hastened.

7:00

There was still five hours but it was getting close... could he do it? A turkey and cheese sandwich sat on a plate by Bwunny, his mother having brought it after he'd absolutely refused to come eat dinner. She was becoming a little worried since he'd refused every other meal as well. He just didn't have time, he'd gone days in the past without eating. The heightened pain of hunger didn't bother him like it used to, instead they were well acquainted and it had just become a feeling he learned to deal with.

_'Slowly I could feel again. I realized that I was alive. When I opened my eyes Inoue and Nel were standing over me. She'd rescued me surprisingly at the command of GrimmJow, who became angered at their shock that I was once again conscious...'_

The night wore on and on, the twins went to bed. Other than their 'good nights' nobody had bothered him. 9 o'clock ticked away to 10, and 10 o'clock to 11. Fear shook his interior. _Can I finish? Is there enough room to finish? _The number of pages not written on was a thinning number.

And, finally it was all down to the end, a race against the clock. He grabbed the box of crayons off his desk and climbed up into his bed. As he slid under the covers he placed the stuff on his pillow. It would be... awkward for this earlier him to wake up on the floor. If it was possible he didn't want anyone to read it besides himself... so hopefully not sleeping in such an awkward position with it would decrease suspicion. Pencil to paper he began writing again.

11:49

Ichigo was racing to finish. He wrote about Kami and what happened there. His sentences were short and didn't hold a lot of description, he was trying to stick to facts. He was nearly done... but he was running out of time. Ichigo drew a deep breath, hurriedly scribbling the final sentence before looking back up at the clock.

11:54

His last few sentences might not even make sense to anyone else, but really who would care? He'd hardly known what to say about all that anyway... _It's just about over, isn't it? _Half absent-mindedly he wrote under his last paragraph; _The words I never got to say_. Ichigo shut his eyes for a moment. As he slowly opened them tears began to run down his cheeks.

11:56

_The last four minutes I'll ever remember Rukia. After this they'll be gone forever. _Ichigo picked up the small crayon box, selected three colors before putting the box down. On the bottom of the page he carefully doodled a small picture. It was childish, but once again he didn't care. Parts of the page became obscure as tears fell from his watery eyes. He began feeling extremely tired, with a few flicks of the wrist he finished the picture before allowing his head to fall forward onto his soft bed. But he still fought it. He picked up his pencil and above the picture slowly formed the letters; _I...L...O...V... _His hand began to tremble as he struggled to keep his eyes open... _E...Y...O...U._

12:00

His hand relaxed, allowing the pencil to roll out. His eyes shut but consciously he was still awake. Losing all those memories was like dying, because without those memories how would he be him? How would he know he was him? Those memories were him, and now they were imprinted in this book. His soul was in his hands._ I don't want to forget, not her. Not Rukia. _He fought to regain a mental image of her, which he focused his fading energy into preserving. _Rukia...Rukia...Rukia...please, I didn't want to forget... I really never regretted meeting you._

12:01

The small child lay under his blue cross covers. He was deep asleep, having held onto that image for as long as he could.

**Chapter End**


	3. Once Upon a Day Long Past

**Chapter 3; Once Upon a Day Long Past**

_"Oh, what a beautiful butterfly;_

_Representing the essence of my questioning why's._

_Oh, what a dark, eerie night sky;_

_Cloudy bottles of festering sighs."_

_With each inhalation his body stung with sharp pain. He tried to ignore it so that he could sleep but it just wouldn't let him. The room was dark; he could only assume it was some late hour. Ichigo had his eyes pinched shut as he tried to welcome the exhaustion._

_Quiet foot pattering broke the dead silence. He could feel the energy of someone hovering over him. Ichigo opened his eyes. "Rukia?"_

_The small girl jumped back. "I-I thought you were asleep."_

_"How could I be asleep with you bustling in here all noisy like that?" He said jokingly, but Rukia picked up on the pained tone in his voice. "Shouldn't you be resting?"_

_"I didn't get hurt, I'm fine. Didn't Orihime heal you?" Rukia asked, concerned._

_"Yeah. I feel great." He lied. Ichigo tried to sit up but fell back down almost instantly, wincing in pain. Rukia frowned disapprovingly._

_"What happened?"_

_"...She got me stabilized but by then she'd been working so long she was exhausted so I told her to rest for the night. Then those shinigami bandaged me up and put me in this pitch black room." Ichigo told her rather sternly._

_"You make it sound like the Fourth Division did something wrong. It's only dark in here because it's two in the morning. Jeez." Rukia muttered, sitting on the edge of his bed._

_"If it's two in the morning what are you doing in here?" Ichigo asked, sinking back into the comfort of the bed._

_Rukia averted her eyes. "I was just checking on you."_

_"What's a matter, Rukia?"_

_"You're an idiot."_

_"Hey! What-"_

_"You're such an idiot! Why? Why would you do all of this for me? All night I had people telling me stories about what you did! It's just so-"_

_"They're exaggerating. It's not that big of a deal, Rukia. We are friends after all, aren't we?" Ichigo interrupted her, a bandaged hand scratching his head._

_"Even for friends, that's insane! You almost died!" Rukia shouted, staring at him through tear filled eyes._

_"You're the idiot, Rukia. It's not your fault that I got hurt. As you said; I'm insane. It was my choice to save you and I wouldn't have it any other way. I guess I'm just too stubborn to give up after a few near death coincidences." Ichigo laughed. The two stared at each other before Rukia finally responded._

_"But because of me you got thrown into this whole mess."_

_"And I don't regret it one bit."_

_"Promise?"_

_Ichigo looked at her, surprised. "What?"_

_"Do you promise?" She said, watching the far wall. "That you don't regret it?"_

_"I promise I'll never regret meeting you."_

_"Thank you, Ichigo." Rukia slipped off the edge of his bed. "Good night."_

_Ichigo watched her leave before he was once again alone. He reached up towards the dark ceiling, staring at his bandaged arm. It was over... and what a wild ride it had been. _Rukia's alive and that's all that matters. _His arms hurt, his legs hurt, particularly his foot hurt... as of late he'd grown used to being in some sort of pain he began to wonder how it would be to be perfectly fine with no aches or pains what so ever._

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

The scalding hot coffee burnt her tongue upon impact. Masaki slammed the cup onto the counter, her hands rushing to aid her poor tongue in any way they could. A hand slid in front of her, offering an ice cube. She took it with a grateful smile at her husband who slid into the chair across from her.

"I just made the coffee; you should at least blow on it first." Isshin told her, pulling over a pile of papers. "It's really late; I'm surprised you wanted coffee at all."

"And leave you all alone to finish work? I want to keep you company." Masaki said, daring to take another sip of her coffee.

"What happened with Ichigo, he hasn't said good night. Is he still awake?" Isshin asked.

"I didn't want to bother him... I think he might need some space for the moment. He was writing in the notebook I gave him last time I checked." Masaki stared deep into the dark depths of her drink.

"Whether he needs space or not tomorrow is Monday and as his parents I think it's our responsibility to make sure he's not up until two in the morning. I'm sure he'd regret it in the morning."

"You have a point. Always sending me off when all I want to do is hang out with you..."

"That's not true! Not true at all!" Isshin protested.

"I know, I know." Masaki laughed as she walked out of the room. _I really should be more careful with things like this... this is the area in parenting that I might end up messing up in. _She was a little disappointed to see him already asleep in his bed. _He went to bed without saying good night... or turning off the light._

Masaki picked up Yuzu's bunny and the untouched sandwich off the floor. "He really wasn't hungry after all."

She set the two things on his desk before returning to her son's bedside. She carefully picked up the crayons that had spilled and were now hiding by his head and arms. _I swear, that boy... _Her eyes fell on the notebook that was spread on his pillow. A sudden interest seized her. She dropped the crayons on the desk and scooped it up.

With a quick flip through she saw that all but a few pages at the end were written on. _I just gave him this, this morning. That's amazing, especially for someone his age! Did he really spend the whole day writing?_

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Isshin was pouring over his paperwork when Masaki ran into the room. She frowned at the notebook. "Hey, honey, how common is amnesia in children?"

"Why do you ask?" Isshin asked, scribbling a few words before tearing his eyes away from his work. Masaki dropped the notebook on the table before him.

"I gave it to him this morning! I told him he should use it to write things he doesn't want to forget, you know I was just thinking things like when homework was due or friends birthdays but there's enough in there he could've written out his whole life!" Masaki sank back down into her chair, studying Isshin's expression as he flipped through it.

He found the whole thing rather comical at first... until his eyes caught onto the word 'shinigami'. It was all he could do to stifle a gasp. _'Ikkaku told me that the shinigami kept death row prisoners at the Senzaikyu.' _Isshin quickly flipped forward a few pages. _'Yoruichi explained 'Bankai', a second zanpaktou release. It was thrilling to learn that I could obtain something like that.' _He opened to another random page. _'It was that night that a second group of Arrancar decided to wreck some havoc. I only met two of them, the others were, thankfully, destroyed by Hitsugaya's group. The first was D-roy; I managed to stop him from killing Chad but Rukia told me I was getting a big head and to stand down. It was the first time I'd seen her zanpaktou release, Sode no Shirayuki." _In utter shock Isshin dropped the book to the table and stared, wide eyed as if it were a flying pig. "D-did you read any of it?!"

"No... I thought it was disrespectful to read it without his permission. What is it? Looks like you've seen a ghost." Masaki was starting to wish she had at least taken a peep at his work.

"I-it's just really amazing for a... a nine year old. Do you think I could borrow it?"

"Borrow it? It's Ichigo's, what would I tell him if he wakes up and it's not there? After he literally spent all day writing, he wouldn't even eat!"

"How about... if we hang on to it, if he says nothing tomorrow I'll borrow it and have it back before he gets home. I'll apologize for taking it myself." Isshin picked the notebook up, wearing the most serious expression he could. _He can see... he can definitely see... but where in the world did he learn about all of this stuff?_

Masaki frowned unapprovingly but said; "I guess you're his father so if you really must."

Isshin ran his fingers down the glossy, black front, his heart thumping. _I want to read more. But... not right now. _He gave it up to the table top once again but the words he'd read still lingered in his thoughts.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Jushiro took a deep breath as several Fourth Squad members rushed past him carrying a stretcher with a bloodied shinigami whose name he didn't know. Apprehension was setting in. The 13th Captain exited the building, large signs on either side of the door bared large, Japanese fours.

"Sentaro, Kiyone!" He shouted. Instantly the two appeared before him in kneeling position.

"Taichou, sir!" They shouted in unison.

"Please pull Kuchiki aside; I have some news for her." He said. With a loud 'Yes, sir' they flashed away. Jushiro stared up at the clear blue sky. _It's been several years, but still... _

When he got back to the barracks Rukia was already in an empty room. He could hear Kiyone rambling on excitedly, her voice some-what muffled by the door. As soon as he slid open the door her talking cut off. The two vice-captains hurried to the side where they stood at attention. Rukia bowed as he entered.

"You summoned me, Ukitake-taichou?" She asked, not removing her gaze from the tatami floor.

"I know this is sudden but I have a new assignment for you." Jushiro said. The tiny girl looked up at him, blinking in confusion.

"A-a new assignment, Taichou?" She stuttered.

"Yes, in the World of the Living. The Seventh Division member that was assigned to Karakura was just brought in, he's in critical condition. It is urgent that we send out someone else... so I volunteered you. I know it's sudden but I think it will be good for you." Jushiro spoke confidently as he could, but he was still a little unsure about his sudden decision.

"What happened?" Kiyone asked rather abruptly.

"It seems he happened across the Grand Fisher, a well known and rather nasty hollow. He seems to have won but he... didn't come out of it in one piece."

"In the World of the Living, Taichou?" Rukia asked, still trying to take in the sudden news.

"You can drop formalities. Yes, it's only for a month. If you like it you can stay longer, if not... in a month we'll bring you back. It's just hollow patrol and konso. How's that sound?" He smiled as her features lightened up.

Rukia quickly bowed again. "Thank you so much, Ukitake-taichou!"

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Masaki stuffed the plastic wrapped sandwich into the blue lunch box before checking the time; 7:26. _I should wake him up. _She was hardly a step out of the kitchen when her carrot headed child stumbled down the stairs half-asleep. His usual messy hair was even messier with a bad case of bed head. Although he appeared ready to fall over he was already dressed in his school uniform.

He looked up at her, a big grin spread across his face. "Good Morning, Mama!"

"Uh, ah... Good Morning." Masaki stuttered. This was so usual it was unusual with the way he'd been acting lately. "Are you feeling better?"

Ichigo looked a bit confused as he sat in his chair at the table. "I'm feeling just fine, Mama."

That morning carried on just like every other school going morning had for months. She feed the children, attempted to brush Ichigo's unruly hair, and, at eight o'clock, waved him off on his way to school._ He's acting himself again... I should be thankful; it means he's probably gotten over whatever lump he'd been stuck on. It was really quite sudden. It just feels a little strange. _Masaki thought as she shut the door behind her.

The two girls ran from her side and pounded up the stairs to play somewhere. Their beautiful, brunette mother went into the kitchen and grabbed the black notebook from atop the fridge.

"Here." She said, a little more gruffly than she'd intended as she placed it before her husband. He was, at the moment, attempting to eat scrambled eggs but somehow failing.

"Are you mad, my sweet, sugar-coated, pumpkin-bun?!" Isshin gasped.

"No, not really." Isshin jumped to his feet and wrapped her in his arms. Masaki looked off to the side. "I just don't know if I agree with you looking at this behind his back. All together you're being a little dramatic."

"I'm sorry, I know." Was all he offered. He hadn't really talked about what he'd read or what seemed to be such a big deal. Her strong ideal of respect was the only thing stopping her from picking it up herself. Perhaps it would've been different had he left it open on the table... but they'd taken it from his room while he was sleeping. "I'm going out for a bit."

Isshin released her. Without any further exchange of words Isshin picked the notebook up, slipped on his coat, and left, leaving behind both his wife and his unfinished eggs.

Once outside Isshin flipped open the book to the very first page this time. As he walked towards his target he tried to read. _'The events I want to record start from the seventeenth of June, when I was nine years old, the day my mother died.'_ His grip tightened, pressing the metal spiral deep into his palm. _'I had been able to see spirits my whole life, although it was a while before I learned what they were. It was because I saw a hollow that she got killed. During those six long years everyone in the family suffered, we all changed and in a way 'grew up'. It was during those years that I met Chad and Orihime. Orihime I had seen once when she was nine when her brother died at the clinic, though I actually met her later through Tatsuki. Chad I met when he saved me from being badly beaten by the Middle school 8th graders. Although after Mama died I stopped going to the dojo I had a lot of trouble because of my hair so I became decently skilled with hand-to-hand combat._

_'It was in late May that I met Rukia. I'd seen her earlier in the day killing a hollow but I really didn't understand. So it was night, the sun hadn't been down very long, I was laying on my bed in the dark when she wandered in through the wall hunting another hollow.' _Isshin's gaze left the book for the street in front of him. _Six years after her death...? On the seventeenth of June. That was the other day when Masaki said he started acting weird. I have a feeling this'll be a very interesting story... Oh! I'm here. It's been so long... _With no signs of hesitation he waltzed right up to the door of the small shop. Although it looked well taken care of he couldn't help but wonder just how often people actually came.

There was no greeting as he entered, the sun shone through the few windows to light up the small empty isles. Boxes of assorted candies and such lined the slanted table tops but overall they were untouched. Isshin walked straight to the back; there was a raised platform and doors. A handful of shoes were placed nicely before the raised landing. It was like an entrance to a house.

"Kisuke!" Isshin hollered. "Hey!"

It was silent before the resounding of pounding feet could be heard from the other side. In an instant the door slid open to reveal a pleasantly surprised shop owner. He wore a dark green haori over a lighter green outfit. A vibrant green and white hat shaded his eyes, and contrasted with the other dulled tones of his attire. "Kurosaki-san!"

"Has time really put such distances between us?" Isshin asked.

Urahara smiled. "I haven't seen you for... ten years, not since you fell for that woman. Tell me, how's that going? I heard you had a son."

"A son and two daughters." Isshin corrected.

"Wow. Quite an accomplishment. So... I suppose you have a reason for such a sudden visit. Never was one to drop in just to say hi."

"It's actually about my son." In response to the quizzical look Urahara gave him Isshin handed over the notebook.

Urahara turned the book over in his hands curiously. It was just an ordinary notebook...although the traces of reiatsu surrounding it provoked some sense of mystery. A frown spread across the shop keeper's face. "You haven't done anything to him, have you?"

"Of course not! I noticed it too. About two days ago his reiatsu signature changed and he started acting strange. He felt like..."

"Come on in, Isshin, I'll take a look."

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Despite the bright, cloudless sky a cold breeze wafted through the town, chilling the small girls' bare forearms. Rukia rubbed them in attempt to warm them back up. She padded down the street, observing with curiosity the passing humans. So far she'd preformed konso three times... and wandered around... over all it was uneventful.

Rukia had only been to the World of the Living a few times, mostly for training at the academy. Once or twice she'd gone with Kaien and a squadron of other 13th Division members to eliminate menos or large groups of hollows. Now she was alone, no officers barking orders in a mad frenzy to fulfill their duties. This assignment was quite a responsibility. They trusted her enough to be in charge of something like this so, darn it all, Kuchiki Rukia was going to be the best resident shinigami there ever was!

The building gave way to trees and soon she came to a stone staircase leading down to a park. To someone who'd never seen a park before it was an extremely intriguing set up; colorful pieces of metal equipment in a sandy clearing that was lined with an occasional bench. A few trees lay scattered amongst the surrounding grass, giving it an almost excluded feeling.

Rukia's questioning thoughts were broken as a beeping sounded from her pocket. Not wasting a second she pulled out the cell-phone resembling device and flipped it open. A small, flashing red dot showed her position relative to the new hollow. Her interior was excited, nervous, but her exterior only held the confident sense of duty befitting of a dead, samurai warrior.

The yeti like hollow was easily disposed of with a slash through its white, snouted mask. A small, child ghost of a boy coward in the alleyway where it had nearly been eaten. Rukia patted the boy on the head.

"It's okay, the monster's gone." She coaxed until the child finally looked up at her with innocent pleading eyes. Rukia raised her zanpaktou. "I'm going to send you to a safe place, they won't chase you anymore."

"No! No! I don't want to go! I want to see Mommy! I want to go home!" The little boy shrieked through sobbing. Regardless she stamped him on the head with the hilt.

"I'm sorry." She muttered as the boy disappeared. _You don't belong here anymore. _Her excitement was slain with the hollow. She didn't even want to think of the kid but it was nagging at her. _It must be harder to die alone. He'll be all alone in the Rukongai..._

Rukia slid her zanpaktou back into the sheath. Her first hollow had been easy but she knew there were harder hollows.

The sun slowly moved across the sky, it would only have a short while to regain its heated rule before it disappeared beyond the distant mountains. The shinigami sat at the wooden bench, watching a group of small children playing on the park equipment.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

"Okay, everyone! Class dismissed! Don't forget to do your math homework!" The teacher chimed, waving at her young students.

Ichigo slid out of his desk stacking his papers and school work into a neat pile. He opened his school bag and put them inside. _Oh, math homework, right. _He reached into his desk.

"Hey! Ichigo, did you want to hang out or something? I just got a new soccer ball." Tatsuki asked, approaching him with her own school bag slung over her shoulder. Ichigo pulled out his math textbook, failing to notice he hadn't grabbed the notebook that went with it.

"Sorry, Tatsuki, not today." He apologized, stuffing the textbook into his bag.

Tatsuki frowned. "Is everything alright? Those kids aren't picking on you again are they?"

He waved his hand as if to wave off the possibility of that answer. "No, no. I'm just not feeling too good. I'll walk home with you tomorrow, I promise."

"Okay, well, are you sure you don't want me to walk you home?"

"I'll be fine, thanks though." Ichigo slung the book bag over his shoulder and headed out of the room.

_It's strange... _He thought, walking along his regular homeward route. _I hardly remember anything about the past two days. All I can remember is that they happened but other wise I just don't know. To add to it all I feel so tired. It feels like I haven't slept in days. I'm lucky that I made it through school without falling asleep. _He looked up in a tired gaze as something caught his attention.

The same small park he always passed, he'd even played there a few times. It was the same as always except a rather strange character was sitting on one of the benches. The figure, whose gender was indistinguishable from his position, was clothed in heavy black.

_Aren't they hot? It's a little weird to wear plain black. _He stared at the character. _I don't think I'd like my kids playing with someone like that watching them, if I had any._ With a small shrug he continued along his way.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Kurosaki Isshin let his hand rest on the door knob of his own house. Feebly he stole a glance behind him at the setting sun, before entering the household. Quietly he slipped off his shoes and coat in the entry hall before proceeding any further. His wife was standing over the stove, watching over a pan, its contents not something he could tell. His son was working in a bowl on the counter, his small form raised by a white stool.

"I think the dough's done, Mama!" Ichigo stated rather proudly. Masaki left her pan to check.

She nodded approvingly. "Good job! That'll make a tasty bread."

Almost as if she'd sensed him her eyes snapped up to meet her husbands. She didn't smile, nor did she frown. Instead she simply turned up back to the oven. With a fork she carefully picked up a piece of what appeared to be chicken. She blew on it a few times to cool it off.

"Did you want to try a bite?" She asked Ichigo, handing him the fork.

"That's delicious!" He muttered in awe.

"Okay now, I've got it here. You've got about twenty minutes... maybe you should go work on your homework."

"Okay, Mama." Ichigo hopped down from his stool, dragged it to the corner, grabbed his school bag from the table, and headed upstairs.

"Good luck!" She called before rounding on her husband. Her voice fell to a hushed, rather harsh tone. "Where have you been?! What happened to having it back before he got home? Is this what you call 'going out for a bit'?!"

"I'm so sorry; I didn't think it would take that long." Isshin apologized, bowing his head.

"Well you should've called. You're lucky he didn't say anything, but I don't doubt he hasn't been looking for it." Masaki still sounded quite firm but she wasn't one to stay mad for long.

Isshin fingered the metal spiral nervously. "Um... I really think you should read this."

The doctor handed it to her a bit reluctantly.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

_The notebook spread open on the table before him; the shop keeper scanned the last page again and again. The corners of his mouth tugged down into a frown. "Do you understand it, Isshin?"_

_Isshin ran his hand down the side of his greenish teacup. "Yes, I understand." _

_Urahara pushed the book across the table to his old friend, tapping the picture on the bottom of the story's last page. He watched as a particular light came across Isshin's face._

_"How sweet..." He muttered, though a strange feeling was balling itself in his guts. Somehow he knew what was coming. "So, Kisuke, what's your deduction of all this?"_

_"Well... I'd say either two days ago the Vaizard met him, perhaps turned him into one of them, then somehow had a massive training session, and he's just a creative, skilled writer. Or, this being much more likely, I think..." A dark shadow seemed to cross over his face. "Everything in here is true. With everything you told me and all the information in here we can only assume it's true."_

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Ichigo pulled out his math textbook and shifted through the rest of his papers. Not finding what he was looking for, the child cast his bag aside and began digging through the books on his desk. _Where is it? I need my math notebook... it has to be here somewhere._

He went through everything again, but still didn't find it. "No... Ms. Suzuki won't be happy when I tell her I lost it."

He sunk into his desk chair. _I'll have to use a piece of lined paper for now... and just hope it will show up. Let's see... four hundred and five times thirty-nine... _A soft knocking sounded on his door and his mother came in.

"Hey there, working hard?" She asked. He turned around in his chair.

"Uh...yeah..." He stumbled over his words, confused as to why she was there. She handed him a black covered notebook.

"We're really sorry, we just wanted to borrow it but we should've asked first." Masaki apologized.

"Thank you! I've been looking all over for this! I guess you can borrow it whenever you like..." Ichigo grinned. _Yes! Now Ms. Suzuki won't be upset. It's really strange that they'd want to borrow it. What would they need it for? Were they checking it? Maybe my grades are dropping! Did Ms. Suzuki call to tell them?! _"Was it good?"

His mother appeared stunned by his question. "Uh, um... your father said it was amazing!"

"Good, thanks again!" He shouted as she left. Ichigo then flipped it open to begin his math homework. _What? The pages are full of writing. _He turned a few pages but they showed no sign of math either._ This isn't mine. _He pouted slamming it shut. _Darn... it must've belonged to a patient. I'll put it in the clinic's lost and found tomorrow but right now I have to finish this... Gaah, how annoying._

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

"You're extremely lucky." Masaki scolded. "He was glad when I gave it to him. He said to borrow it whenever you want and then he asked if it was any good. Next time you should listen to me about asking first."

"I told you last night I would apologize for myself; you didn't have to do that. I only handed it to you because I wanted you to read it. You know, dear, it took me a lot of nerve to ask you to look at that." Isshin stated gruffly. It was an argument, thankfully not something common between them, but two people didn't always see things the same way. Definitely not for ten years straight. Both had their voices low as to not alarm the children.

"Why would it take a lot of nerve for you to ask that? Is it because you knew I was against it? Or something else?" Isshin's eyes averted hers; his expression was that of a man caught robbing a safe. "What is it?"

"It's nothing."

"It's not nothing!"

"It's complicated. I don't know how to explain it... it would be a lot simpler if you read it."

"It's a story, Isshin. A child's story! It's not complicated, it's not hard to explain, why can't you just tell me? Is this really worth causing a problem between us?"

Isshin grabbed her hand in both of his, his voice carrying a pleading undertone. "Please, Masaki, this one time just listen. What I'm trying to do is prevent bigger problems later."

"I'm sorry if I just don't understand, Isshin. It's just a story, that's all it is! Maybe it would be better for both of us, and the children, if we just forgot these things ever happened." But Isshin shook his head. _I can't run from the truth anymore. _Masaki looked hurt. "Fine, I'm going to finish cooking."

Isshin watched his wife turn away, his eyes brimming with affection. _I don't want to lose you. The longer I wait the more likely this will be to tear us apart. I just don't know if I can get through explaining everything to her... that book is just the thing I need, if only I could get her to read it! Thank you so much, Ichigo, if this is all true than I really owe you a lot. He still feels the same since the other day, even though now he's forgotten. Hmm..._ Isshin abandoned his place of standing for the darker depths of the house, for the stairs.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

_"So, have you told them?" Urahara asked curiously._

_"Told them? Told them what?" Isshin asked back, his old friend shook his head sadly._

_"The truth. That you're a shinigami? That you're dead?"_

_"No, I guess it never came up. What would be the point in doing that? They won't lose anything because of it, nor will they gain anything from knowing it."_

_"Don't play stupid, Isshin. You know as well as I do that hidden truths have a tendency of coming up where they're least wanted. If you don't tell them it could end up destroying things later."_

_"I guess you're right." Isshin huffed._

_"You said this was about your son, right?" Urahara drew out his fan and flipped it open. "He can see, can't he? ...If you don't think this affects them perhaps you should think again. What could result from not explaining all of this to your family? Isshin, he feels like one of _them_."_

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Isshin rubbed his temples. Although now that they'd read the notebook they knew why that was, it was even more proof that everything in the book was true. _So if it's true... I was a horrible father. I am a horrible father. What if something happened to him, something just like in the story? I probably knew the whole time what Urahara was doing to him. I never helped him! I never did anything for him. I'm hardly in the book at all. This time around I hope I can be better. No, this time I will be better._

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

The next morning as the Kurosaki's started up another Tuesday with solemnly tired expressions, there came a knocking at the front door. It was Masaki who answered it, everyone else only showing interest as to who it was but no will to get up.

Tatsuki bowed to his mother. "Good morning, Ms. Kurosaki. I was just seeing if Ichigo wanted to walk to school with me."

Ichigo didn't need the encouraging looks from his parents. He shoved the last half of his buttered toast into his mouth, grabbed his bag from where he'd set it by his chair, and rushed to the door.

"Gwud bwai, Mama, Dwab." He called through a mouthful of bread.

"Oh, wait, wait!" His mother caused him to halt by the door. She rubbed his head, messing up his hair even more than it already was. "There, all better! Just the way you like it! One of these days you should try to brushing it just for a change of pace."

He smiled. "You're funny, Mama."

As soon as the door shut behind them he let out a soft sight. "Thanks for picking me up, Tatsuki, you didn't have to."

"I ended up leaving a little early today. Besides, how could I miss a chance to see your mother's affection overload? Although... I'm a bit surprised; you actually seem a bit relieved to be pulled out of there." Tatsuki had her head leaning back into her hands, giving her a carefree appearance.

"It's...um...I..." Ichigo stuttered, unsure of how to respond. His head slumped forwards in defeat. "It's just been weird lately. Dad hasn't really said anything to me since yesterday morning... him and Mama've been really quiet and tense lately."

Tatsuki kicked a small rock, causing it to bounce several feet in front of her. "You think they're fighting? I know you're probably not used to it but it's pretty normal. They'll make up or work it out and it'll all be back to normal again."

"Yeah, thanks Tatsuki." He mumbled but his head didn't rise from its downward stare.

"Don't sweat it; don't be afraid to ask if you need help."

The two children walked side by side in the direction of the school. The boy gritted his teeth before finally he was able to build up enough courage to confront his friend. "What's the real reason you decided to pick me up? My house is really out of the way for you just to stop by because you had a few extra minutes, especially if you wanted to be sure I would still be home."

Tatsuki glanced sideways at him. Her hands dropped to her side and she shoved them into her pockets. "It's been bugging me all night. I wanted to see why you were acting the way you were yesterday. Are you getting picked on again?"

"I just told you what was wrong."

"Oh, but you said 'since yesterday morning' if you were at school all day that means it didn't start until you got home. You shouldn't try to lie to me about this stuff."

"Tatsuki, I-I can't remember anything that happened on Saturday and Sunday."

She halted, a frown renewing itself as she saw no lapse of seriousness from her friend. "Have you told your parents? That could be serious! I still don't understand why you wouldn't tell them all those kids kept beating you up but this is a little much. People don't just suddenly forget things like that. Ichigo? Hey, Ichigo! What are you staring at?"

He was standing completely still, eyes wide, intently staring in front of them. Tatsuki followed his gaze but found nothing worth noting.

Ichigo's attention was caught as the world before them seemed to ripple. As if the scene was merely a painting on paper a large slash appeared on its canvas. Ichigo stared at the sight, wondering if it was really happening. Slowly a pale, clawed hand slipped through the hole. It gripped the edge, pulling open to reveal a large, ugly, white beast.

Tatsuki saw his eyes widen into a look of pure fright. "Ichigo? Ichigo? Snap out of it! What's going on?"

His eyes broke away as he willed his body into moving. What ever it was Tatsuki couldn't see it. _We have to get away. _But his body didn't want to move. "Hurry, Tatsuki! Run!"

She stared at him blankly. Ichigo shoved her backwards. "What are you doing?! Get out of here!"

The monster clambered out of the tear that was now closing behind it. Its body resembled that of a Tyrannosaurus Rex, except its arms were so long that they dragged along the ground. On its large, snouted face was a mask that looked like a starved fox happy to finally find its prey.

"Stop it, Ichigo... you're scaring me." Tatsuki cried, unable to even comprehend what was happening.

As the creature stomped forward the concrete of the sidewalk cracked beneath its feet. Even though she was unable to see the monster she could see the large, cracking footprints. She stumbled back. "W-what is that? There's something there!"

"Why are you still standing there? Please, run away!" Ichigo begged, standing protectively between the two even though he, himself, was trembling in fear.

"The child can see me! Such enormous spiritual pressure and he's not even a shinigami! How lucky!" The creature laughed, swiping forward. All Tatsuki could do was watch as her friend was lifted off the ground by an invisible force and plowed into the wall of the building. A gasped scream escaped her lips as she ran forward to help him. Something caught her under the rib cage and tossed her back, sending her tumbling across the empty street.

"I have no need for such a weakling, stay out of the way." It growled. The creature moved its hand from where it had pinned up the boy.

Ichigo slid to the ground, a bit dazed from the blow. _My head... hurts. It hurts, it all hurts. Tatsuki, get away! I will protect you from this monster... _His line of vision rose, falling in and out of focus. A few bricks fell around him. He'd been hit hard. His eyes met Tatsuki's, who was almost back on her feet. He tried to relay words to her through that connection. _Get out of here, please, just leave or it will get you._

_Gaaah, it still hurts... I don't think I've ever been in so much pain. It hurts. _It somehow felt so familiar. Deja vu. He was trying to protect someone who just didn't understand, someone who just wouldn't listen. He was in pain but still he would stand up again and again. _We're both going to die. _His eyes snapped wide, the world righted itself. How could something like that feel so familiar? Nothing like this had ever happened to him, so why?

_'He could feel her life slowly slipping away as he stared on, helpless.'_

"No..."

The monstrous being let out a bone chilling howl. Ichigo's attention was ripped from his friend, who'd just broke into a run... in the wrong direction, of course. Being stubborn, she was rushing to his aid. He could only gap at the large hole in its torso as it lunged at him. Having immobilized its prey it was ready to feast.

**Chapter End**


	4. The Soul is Dead that Slumbers

**Chapter 4; The Soul is Dead that Slumbers**

_"A ripple runs through the surface;_

_Distorting the light of day._

_The force that has clung to the depth of my lungs_

_is stealing my life away."_

The light of the sun shone through the large hole in the monster's chest, reflecting in his frightened, amber eyes. He knew it was over... he was a goner. Its head shot forward, mouth wide, teeth dripping with a thick saliva. He knew any second they would crunch down on him. Unable to bear seeing the horrifying sight any longer he squeezed his eyes shut.

The pain didn't come; no razor sharp teeth pierced through him. _I should've been caught by now. I can't bear it; if you're going to eat me then just get it over with already! _More and more seconds ticked away, yet he hadn't met his fate. Carefully he opened his eyes.

The scene was like a giant shadow before him, darkened and silhouetted by the bright sun. The monster's mouth was closed, its teeth clenching tightly to the blade of a sword. The figure, who was holding the sword, stood in front of him.

Ichigo was stunned and in awe as the figure slipped the sword from the monster's mount in a spray of blood. The blade sliced through of portion of its lower jaw. The injury sent the monster reeling backwards with an angered roar.

Before he could witness any more Tatsuki dragged him up, lifting his aching body onto her back. Completely blinded to what was happening all she could do was follow her instincts, which were telling her they had to get out of there. She struggled with his weight at first, he was scrawny but they were the same age, near the same height. As her feet padded beneath them and they got farther and farther Ichigo managed to turn for one last look. He could just make out the feminine features of the black clothed figure who was warring with the beast. _It's that strange person from before, at the park..._ His eyelids felt so heavy, he let them close.

Slowly her strength was wearing away. Tatsuki turned into a small alley-way and let herself crash to the ground, unable to sustain them any longer. She could feel the gentle rise and fall of Ichigo's chest against her back. Otherwise there was no movement from her friend.

Tatsuki carefully maneuvered him from her back.

"Blood!" She gasped, pushing herself up. The bright orange hair on the back of his head was stained red as heavy droplets of blood dripped from the vibrant strands to the ground. Gently she shook him. "Open your eyes! You can't sleep now. Not after you hit your head so hard. Please! Open your eyes!"

Slowly, he did, but he still didn't move. "But I feel so... I feel so tired..."

Slightly relieved she released a heavy breath. "What happened back there?"

"You really didn't see... that _thing_?" His eyes were slowly falling closed again. "We're safe... it won't attack us anymore... I'm sorry, Tatsuki..."

"No, no, no! You can't sleep! C'mon, let's go. Just wait, I'll take you home, just don't sleep yet!" Tatsuki frantically scrambled to her feet, disregarding the slight pangs of pain she was feeling from her bruised body. She hoisted her friend to his feet, even with her assistance he stumbled around a bit. She slung his arm over her shoulder to support him. She didn't think she could carry him the whole way and if he had something to focus on he would be less likely to slip away.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

As the hollow backed away, howling, Rukia took the opening. She ran up the front of its pale body and sliced through its masked face. The vertical cut seemed to emit a strange red light as it disintegrated into spirit particles. She sheathed her zanpaktou. _Thank goodness, I got here right in time. _But when she turned around the children were gone.

"Hmm..." She pulled the memory changer out of her shihakushou. She stared at it for a moment before looking back at the empty street. "Oh well, they were humans... it's not like they saw what was going on."

_It's actually kind of sad; they'll never know what happened. I hope they're going to be okay. _Rukia shoved the small contraption back into the top of her shihakushou. _Beep-beep, Beep-beep._

She grabbed out the cell phone resembling device. A flashing red dot showed the location of a new hollow several blocks away. _What a busy day. _Rukia quickly memorized the directions to the hollow before snapping it shut.

Thus, the determined, hard-working shinigami was off onto another task.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

"Did you want me to call your parents?" Masaki asked, stooping down to be at the same height as the small girl.

"No thank you, Ms. Kurosaki, I'm fine. I'll walk home."

"And tell them you were hit by a car? I don't know if that's such a good idea." Masaki rubbed some medicine on a scratch on Tatsuki's cheek before applying a bandage.

"Well, Ms. Kurosaki, I'm not that hurt. Even if I tell them I just got some scratches they'll still be so worried. Dad'll want to leave his job in hurry but he did that when my mom broke her ankle last month and he's a really important person there. If he keeps doing this he could lose his job."

"Oh, but how will walking home help? If your mother calls him won't he want to rush home still?" There was silence on Tatsuki's part so Masaki continued. "Even if you didn't say you got hit by a car how would you explain all these scraps and not going to school?"

The small girl hung her head in defeat. "I guess I'm not thinking, perhaps I hit my head a little too."

"How about I walk you home. I'll explain what happened to your mother. It's the least I can do. I owe you the world for saving my little boy." Masaki patted her on the head before raising to her full height. "I'll be right back. I have to put these up and then, if you're ready, we'll head out."

Masaki grabbed the bottle of ointment and boxes of bandages, the smile already slowly slipping away. From the door of the room to the main office front horrifying thought's filled her head. Isshin was leaning against the wall, staring sullenly at a bloody-gloved hand.

"How is he?" She asked almost reluctantly.

"He'll be alright... he's stable... It was worse than I had thought. But he doesn't require any surgery or serious procedures." Isshin closed his hand. It had been terrifying for him, working with his own child. Never had any of them been in such a serious condition, under his care. Never had the sight of blood from his patient cause him to freeze up.

"Worse then you thought? What is it? How is it? Where is he?" She stuttered, half-shoving the things in her hands onto his desk.

"He busted the back of his head pretty badly, fifteen stitches, and there was extensive bruising all down his back. Frankly, I'm amazed he was still conscious when they got here."

"You had to give him stitches?!"

"Yes. I can do stitches and all that stuff but if his stability even wavers a little I think that we need to have him transferred to the hospital, it's not worth the risk to keep him here." Isshin pulled the gloves off his hands and tossed them into the trash.

"Yes, I agree. You've done well, Honey. Try not to be so upset, you were able to take care of him, he's fine now. What room is he in?" Masaki was trying to suppress her own feelings of panic to comfort her husband. Though, really, she was no less worried about him then she had been since the two had hobbled in through the clinic's big glass doors.

"He's in room fifteen."

"You put him in his bedroom?"

"The easiest place to heal is home. I've given him some clinic pillows but the blood shouldn't soak through the bandages."

Masaki smiled. "You certainly are a smart man. I'm going to see him real quick then I told Tatsuki I'd walk her home."

Isshin stared after his wife. _A red car, huh? That's not true. Whether that lie was conscious or not, I can't tell. It's faint, but this reiatsu, small traces clinging to his body. It was a hollow. Kisuke was right; this is the consequence brought about by my decision. I consciously chose not to tell them and now my son is suffering. He could have died..._

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

_A dead forest. The trees bare no leaves; the ground is dry and dusty. Up above, through the jagged, foliage-less branches, I can see the blue of the sky. Crystallic, beautiful. A remembered sense of fright. But somehow now I understand it's alright. There is somebody behind me, I can't see them but I know they're there. I'm extremely happy because of it but I only allow the smallest smile to display externally the overwhelming joy. I don't want to move forward but I do with no hesitation. My mouth forms words that I don't understand._

_This place is surreal._

_What exactly is 'this place'? This place that I see when I close my eyes? It's like a dream. What am I saying? It is a dream. Nothing but an empty dream. Perhaps as of late I've been confusing 'confusion' with 'familiarity', somehow..._

Ichigo let his eyes flicker open. _My room. _He was laying on his side, his back was cold. His head throbbed painfully. The bed had been scooted out a ways, allowing space for the machine between the wall and the head of his bed. This machine had wires that extended each to a different part of his body. Besides slightly restraining his movements it did nothing for him. Its only purpose was to display the fact that he was alive on its screen, and, should his heart beat falter or stop, it would alert his father immediately.

His small fingers dug into the sheet below him, scrounging enough fabric to grasp onto. It was a physical connection between him and the world. Using that connection he was able to pull forward into reality and out of the strange places in his head.

Clad in only a hospital robe and his under garments, Ichigo shivered. The blankets were folded back, only covering his feet. The intense cold from his back was wet and an odd smell wafted around his body. _Medicine. Someone must have just applied medicine.. I wish they would at least turn up the heat... it's so cold. _He drew his knees up in attempt to retain warmth.

Even though he felt miserable and groggy he still would rather be awake. Because where he was now everything made sense. As of today things of 'sense' just seemed to be tipping out of balance. Like that monster and that woman today. _Just where did they come from?_

Ichigo relinquished his grip, pushing himself up into a sitting position but still being wary of the wires. Nausea seized him, nearly causing him to fall over, but the child over came it and he righted himself.

He pulled the covers up over his legs._ 3 o'clock; Have I really been out since then? I've been out quite a while... I guess since we got back..._

_Ichigo slipped away from Tatsuki, collapsing into his mother's arms. Her screams of 'What happened?!' heightened._

_"A car." He muttered, his words beginning to slur. "It was a car."_

_Tatsuki knew he was lying, she didn't really understand why, but he had to have a reason. Maybe it was the overall absurdity, perhaps he knew they'd think him insane. She decided to just go with it. _Although you better explain this to me when you're better, Ichigo. Whatever that was I know that you saw it.

_Isshin hauled his son up over his shoulder. "We need to move, I'm taking him to the back. You take care of her." _

That was the last he heard before he fell away from that now. _About six hours, I guess that's not too bad. I should just be glad I'm alive. That woman saved my life. She was the strange person at the park yesterday._

Ichigo just sat there for a long time before he actually started feeling bored. _This is my room, there should be something! _But he couldn't come up with anything... Well not for that moment at least. He leaned over to his desk and began shifting through the clutter.

A black note book.

Ichigo picked it up. _Oh yeah, I forgot to take care of it this morning! I wonder whose it is... it's not really my place to look through peoples stuff. _He set it on his lap. Despite self-resistance his hand approached the side. It felt as if it were calling to him.

'Just take a look' it seemed to whisper. Unable to hold back Ichigo flipped open the cover and his eyes began to scan the words of the first page.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

The room was filled with a softly hummed tune as the shopkeeper flipped through his papers. A well groomed cat lay curled on his lap, quietly purring as he petted its head. "It's all very interesting, isn't it, Yoruichi?"

The black cat let out a small 'meow', typical of any normal cat. Its purring cut off, its deep yellow eyes turned up towards him. "I thought Isshin took that with him."

For such an elegant feline its voice was extremely masculine. Urahara smiled down at his friend. "Yes, he did, the original at least. I made a copy."

"And did he actually give you permission?"

Urahara looked at the ceiling in what appeared to be deep thought. Suddenly the shop-keeper yelped. "Why did you do that? That hurt!"

Yoruichi retracted her claws from his leg. "If the answer was yes you wouldn't have to think about it."

"You know what? This son of his, I'd like to meet him." Urahara looked at the printed words with a type of greed; greed to know more, greed to find and prove the truth whatever it maybe. "You've seen him, what is he like?"

"I've never talked to him..."

"But you've stalked him, haven't you?"

"It's not the same." Yoruichi scoffed. "You wanted to know what Isshin was up to. His son is a cute kid. Rather scrawny and kind weak or fragile, probably a result of his parents babying him... but he's innocent and sweet. With hair oranger than a tangerine. It's been over a year, mind you, since I've seen them. Last time he gave me part of his sandwich, thinking I was a stray."

"Yes, I recall. Good thing he didn't try to take you home, Isshin might've caught onto us." Urahara laughed. "Reading this though makes me feel as if we've missed out on all the excitement."

"You really think it's true, everything in that book?" Yoruichi asked.

"How else would he know about the Hougyoku, about the Vaizard, Aizen, the Gotei 13, us?"

Yoruichi relaxed her head back down on his lap. "Yeah, it's just so sudden; this isn't at all how we thought it would happen."

The dark feline crawled off his lap. As it slinked around the corner the soft foot falls of cat paws turned to the hard thumping of human feet. Before the sound altogether faded away he heard her mutter something about jumping in the shower.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

He breathed deeply, allowing the fresh air to caress his lungs. His right hand moved up to his head as if he were going to run his hand through his hair but instead it came to rest on the rough bandage that was wrapped around his scalp. The outdoors were so beautiful, he'd missed it so dearly.

It had been a week, a very long week. Finally his mother had allowed him to return to school. His week of ill-being had left the Kurosaki's quite quiet. Masaki and Isshin seemed to have forgotten they weren't on good terms but everyone was so worried that they were speechless. He'd awoken a few times to find Yuzu and Karin asleep on the foot of his bed.

Ichigo was actually relieved when Tatsuki didn't show up for school, it was one more day he could put off explaining that event to her.

He felt alive. It felt like things made sense, finally. Ichigo slowed to a stop, watching the small, black figure below. He grinned.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Rukia sighed tiredly. _Twenty! Twenty konso and no hollows. I know I shouldn't wish for hollows but it has gotten kind of boring lately. As long as no one gets hurt I wouldn't mind a little action. No, no, no, stop hoping for a hollow. Hollows are bad! No hollows is good. That means I'm doing my job, right?_

A young child sat down next to her on the bench. He was wearing the average elementary wear, with a uniform bag full of books and papers. The thing that caught her attention the most about the otherwise seemingly regular boy was the insane color of his hair. The rustic orange of it made her wonder what he'd done to it. The humans around here didn't seem to hold a lot of variety when it came to hair color. But then again, maybe he wasn't from around here. People in the Soul Society had pretty crazy hair, she thought of her own good friend and his strawberry red hair.

The boy pulled a small green box out of his bag, he tore the straw off the back and poked it through the top. Rukia couldn't help but let the boy hold her attention as he sat there, sipping his juice and kicking his feet.

_What an interesting kid. If the bench is 'empty', why wouldn't you sit in the middle? I guess it's not too weird. I'm lucky he didn't sit on me. _A slurping sound came from the box, signaling that it had run out of juice. With no other notable movements or actions the boy stood, dropped it in a nearby trash can, and left.

Although it had been interesting she didn't think much of it, until the next day rolled around. It was just about the same time; Rukia had just been sitting a few minutes having returned from a patrol, when the boy came again. This time he pulled out two juice cartons.

He took the time to straw each of them. Slowly he turned to look at her, holding a juice carton out offeringly. "You're really her, aren't you? You're Rukia."

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Masaki walked down the hallway, a little girl in each arm. They leaned into her with soft snores. Her foot caught onto a small toy train, she stumbled forward but maintained her balance. _It looks like a tornado ran through here. _She looked on in dismay at the mess of toys extending the remaining length of the hall. Carefully the skilled mother wormed her way to their rooms.

"Bwunny..." Yuzu muttered, curling into her covers as Masaki layed her down. The two went down easily enough; their nap was a bit late so they had to be exhausted.

Masaki walked down the hall, pilling the toys into her arms. The last of them, a plastic pony, lay on the ground in front of her sons door. Slowly, as if magnetized by a greater force, she pushed the door open.

Blaring, the dark black felt like it was calling her. The black notebook was on the middle of his desk. This thing, this singular object had caused drama amongst her household yet she'd continually ignored her curiosity about it. Isshin had mentioned it a few times, but never pushed very hard. Outwardly she was firm to her resolve but inwardly her curiosity was boiling.

_He did say 'borrow it whenever you want'... _Finally, today, she was able to justify it for herself. Masaki let all the toys fall to the floor as she reached to take it.

2:35; Masaki sat down, book in hand, on his bed. _Let's see what the big deal is._

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

"You're really her, aren't you? You're Rukia."

Rukia looked all around but, besides the two six year olds playing on the swings there was no one else. She pointed to herself. "Are you, uh, talking to me?"

"I sure am, Ms. Kuchiki. Yesterday I had to make sure. You are her, right?" The child asked, blinking his big amber orbs calmly.

"You can see me?!" She gasped. "And you know my name?! Who - no... what are you?"

"My name is Kurosaki Ichigo. I saw you last week too, Ms. Kuchiki, you saved me from that monster. It was a...'hollow', right? I am human, but I can _see_." Ichigo said, kicking his feet as he took a long sip of his juice.

_Saved him? His head is bandaged! How did I miss that? Just who is this kid? What is going on?! _Rukia looked at him, mouth agape. Ichigo offered the second juice again, this time she took it but did little more than hold it. Her mind wasn't processing because it was all so sudden. The world around her felt a little darker and the air felt heavy, but it was something that for the most part went unnoticed. "A defective human?"

"I'm not defective! I just can see! There's nothing wrong with me." He objected, spurting out a spray of apple juice when the insult hit him.

"How, again, did you say you know my name?" Rukia asked.

"Because I'm smart." He proclaimed.

"Okay, _kozou_, thanks for coming to thank me or whatever but I'm very busy. Why don't you just run along now, go play with your little friends. Just try to stay away from the hollows from now on."

"I was really happy that it was you, Ms. Kuchiki. I couldn't not come. Here, I'll show you how I knew it was you." Ichigo set his empty carton beside him and reached into his bag. From it he withdrew what appeared to be about a third of a piece of paper.

When he handed it to her Rukia frowned. _This is getting really weird_. She shook her head in disbelief.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

"Honey! Masaki, dear?" Isshin called, wandering up the stairs. "Now then, where could she be?"

He looked in all the upstairs rooms until he finally found her in Ichigo's room. "Hey! There you are! I was starting to wonder where everyone was, the house felt so empty, I felt so alone! But my lovely daughters are asleep, my son is still missing, and my wife is- you're... you're..." He saw the black notebook open in her arms. "You're reading it?!"

"Yeah..." Masaki's eyes didn't leave the paper but she regarded him half-mindedly. She must've finished her current paragraph or page because her attention shifted upwards. "The story is good. It-it's great... very creative, extremely creative. Violent, sweet, depressing. The whole thing started out with me dying..."

"Don't feel down about it. It's not like he was happy about it. It's more like he'd write something like that to show how badly off we'd all be without you. I'm not much in it either but when I am I sound like a horrible father." Isshin leaned against the closet door.

"How do you always know how to explain these things?"

"You too. It's a human thing, when you're off to the side of a conflict or problem it's a lot easier to see all of it." He explained. "Where, exactly, are you in the story?"

"I'm almost done, let's see... _'The sun had barely peeked over the horizon when the sky tore open above us. It was the first of many holes that would open that day. I was at the top of the grassy hill, the slope before me was full of shinigami and Fourth Division tents. It hadn't been even five minutes since the last wave had been destroyed. Everyone needed a break, but the hollows wouldn't give us any time to rest, not in the middle of a war. My right sleeve was rolled up and a female Fourth Division squad member was bandaging my upper arm. I could feel everyone around me sighing as the monsters came crawling through the hole. I thanked her after she hastily tied it; I grabbed Zangetsu and was off. On my way through the Fourth Division set up I picked up one of the many jugs of water that sat out side the tents and dumped the whole thing over my head in attempt to keep myself awake. A mental reminder; this was the beginning of day three. This war was reigning everywhere it was hard to believe that we were the lucky ones So far a toll of twelve dead, one hundred-thirty-two injured, not including bystanders hurt because of our battling and humans that the hollows had managed to get to before us.' _Some of this, a lot of this is really intense. A war, death, loss... It's written in first person about himself, some parts are so hard to even read. Even if it is just a story, the thought of my baby going through something like this is unbearable."

"Written by a nine year old. It is a lot to take in." Isshin mumbled. _I'm still trying to process the reality of it myself. _"Where is he? He should've been home by now."

Masaki tried to pull herself out of her emotional state. "He said he was going to play with Tatsuki after school. He only got out of school a little while ago... he'll come home anytime between now and six-thirty."

"Six-thirty, isn't that kind of late?"

"It's still light out at six-thirty. We can worry when he's old enough for a ten o'clock curfew."

"Wow, I never thought I was going to be the strict one. If you're fine with your baby being out that long after what happened last time, I guess I have no room to complain." Isshin slid down the wall so he could sit comfortably on his butt.

"After what happened last time he was outside with Tatsuki? A car swerved off the road and hit them! It wasn't very likely to happen then and it's not likely to happen now. He was unlucky. It was a misfortunate accident. Tatsuki is not a car magnet. I'm not going to keep Ichigo locked inside out of fear that another car will swerve onto the sidewalk and hit him." Masaki ranted, her eyes beholding him as something utterly absurd.

"I'm sorry. I understand, I just don't like seeing him hurt." Isshin apologized instantly although not a car and certainitly not Tatsuki were at the head of his worries. With his amount of reiatsu, out there unprotected he was hollow bait. The doctor left his wife in silence, retreating mentally as he searched the world outside their walls for all spirit signatures.

Masaki felt stressed, with her husband, with what she was reading, with the accumulated stress that she had experienced the past week worrying every time her son closed his eyes that maybe this time he wouldn't open them again. She had been eager to get him out and about again so she could see that he was going to be fine. Machines, words, they did nothing to reassure her. Not until it was back to complete normalcy.

Masaki swiped her mind clean and began reading again; only about three pages that held writing remained.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

"Okay, _kozou_, what the heck is this?" Rukia gaped incredulously at the picture. It was a crudely done child's drawing (that made it almost seem cuter) of two figures, chibi-ish and only from the torso up. Both were dressed the same, in elbow length, black clothing resembling a shihakushou. The eyes were only semicircles with no nose or mouths on their faces. The defining features for both was the hair; on the right was the black, winged raven style of her own and for the left it was jagged and orange, obviously meant to be himself. In the middle the two hands came down and joined, and stretched above it all were the words; _I love you. _

This was, by far, the strangest predicament she'd ever found herself in. Here was a small human child who'd basically strolled up, shocked her, and then expressed his love for her! _How am I supposed to deal with this?! It isn't exactly something they teach us at the Soul Academy!_

"I didn't draw it." Ichigo said, an apparent tone of disappointment intertwining itself through his words.

"Oh really? Then who did?"

"Well, it's a long, long story, Ms. Kuchiki. An incredibly long story somehow condensed into 97 pages. I'll bring it tomorrow if you want to meet me here after school."

"Listen, _kozou_, I'm done with this." Rukia stood up. "I'm a-"

"Shinigami." Ichigo cut her off. "Member of the Thirteenth Division, under Ukitake-taichou. Your brother is the great Byakuya, captain of the Sixth Division. You grew up in the 78th district of the Rukongai... with Abarai Renji, who is- or will eventually become Vice-Captain." He knew he'd been about to lose her so he let himself spurt it out on the chance it would hold her attention a little longer.

The carton fell out of Rukia's hand and the golden liquid began to leak onto the ground. Her mouth opened and closed but no sound came out. Astonished, Rukia was at a loss for words.

Finally, she managed to stitch some sort of composer together as she brushed back an unruly strand of hair. Her eyes locked onto the bright red slide. "Who are you?" She demanded.

"Kurosaki Ichigo. Nine years old. Human, living human. Although, Ms. Kuchiki, I used to be a shinigami, just like you." He sounded almost sad. Ichigo stood up; pointing to himself in the picture she still had in her left hand. "See?"

Rukia thumped him hard on top of his head, her eyes burning in fiery frustration. "Listen up, brat, I'm sick of this! Your answers only lead to millions of more questions! You're gonna have a seat and you'd better start explaining or you're going to find yourself in the Soul Society before the sun moves another inch."

Ichigo rubbed his head, tears in his eyes. "Ow... I'm sorry, Ms. Kuchiki. I shouldn't have been so confusing. I'll straighten it all up right away."

"Good boy." Rukia smirked; extremely happy she'd finally gained dominance and control over the situation. Ichigo sat back down, his head bowed, ashamed and apologetic. He realized he'd fed her to the point of choking her but hadn't given her time nor assistance, thus, with the type of violent, impatient woman she was, he'd made a serious mistake.

He repented, and began explaining exactly how he obtained that knowledge. He didn't tell her exactly the entire contents of the notebook, just and overview to help him explain why he'd concluded it was all true.

Rukia took a seat beside him as he delved further and further into his explanation. _This is going to be a long afternoon... _She thought, shivering from the unseen force that surrounded the child.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

_'I awoke in Kami's dimension. He told me 'I will send you back so you can change the outcome'. Eventually I agreed. He took me back to when Mama died. He told me I would forget. It would be like it never happened, but everybody would be okay.' _Masaki read the last bit of writing on the last page. The rest of the paper had been torn away. If there had been more to the story she couldn't tell. Then something struck her. Masaki flipped to the first page to check the apparent date of her own death. _'June seventeenth'._

"Today is... the twenty eight." She murmured, hurriedly turning back to the last page. _That day he suddenly began behaving strangely, that was the seventeenth. 'Back to when Mama died'. According to the story it would have been six years._

_**"It's really you. I-I missed you so much, Mama...I'm sorry...I'm sorry..." He muttered, his small hands clinging desperately to the back of her shirt.**_

_'He told me I would forget.'_

_**"I think Big Bwadda is cwying!" Yuzu was the first to speak, her voice was suddenly hushed.**_

_**"He was shouting! He was saying dat he didn't want to forget." Karin whispered.**_

_'It was because I saw a hollow that she got killed.'_

_**Masaki frowned. "It's Ichigo, it's just... he's been acting so different. He seemed just fine when I picked him up but on the way home he suddenly just seemed so upset. He kept apologizing."**_

There was a loud thud.

Isshin looked up. The notebook was laying on the floor. Masaki was staring blankly at her now empty hands, her eyes as wide as saucers. "Masaki?"

"It's-It's-It's..." Masaki stuttered, tears began to roll down her cheeks. Isshin wasted no time rushing to comfort her. "It all matches up... That's why... that's why, isn't it? You saw that."

He slipped his arm around her shoulder. He swallowed a lump that seemed to be stuck in his throat. "Yeah, it seems to fit, doesn't it? Listen, Sweety, there's actually a really good chance that the whole thing is true."

"It's not possible. It's, the whole thing is extremely impossible. It works but there is just no way."

"The main reason I wanted you to read it was because I wanted you to know the truth. I'm a shinigami." Isshin held his breath, awaiting his wife's reaction. When she didn't respond he started worrying that maybe he should have waited a little longer before revealing that.

"This isn't a joke? Not some stupid trick?" Masaki finally asked, her voice cracking.

"No, it's not a joke. I'm dead serious. I never told Ichigo about any of it but it talks all about them in the story. The man that trained him in the book, Urahara Kisuke, was a good friend of mine. When he was banished from the Soul Society I went with him, and ended up meeting you. He was also a shinigami, Captain of the 12th Division. He made me a gigai, an artificial human body, so I could live amongst the living. I went to the local college to earn a degree as a doctor. When I met you I feel in love. I began to spend more and more time in my gigai, until I stopped taking it off all together. My powers dried up, but I was able to have my beautiful family. Yet it still ended up effecting you guys."

Masaki tried to wipe away the tears but they were soon replaced by more. "All this time. The hollow's, there are really hollows?"

"Ichigo wasn't hit by a car."

Masaki released a stream of incomprehensive syllables. She slipped from the bed's edge onto the floor and grabbed up the notebook. Opening it to the first page she pointed to a particular sentence. "Look! He-he said he'd always been able to see. He would have seen it!"

Isshin shook his head, trying to tell her it was futile. "He lied, what might you've said if he told you that he'd been attacked by a monster? People think people who say things like that are crazy or insane. I don't know if he knew exactly what it was. But either way he has a good reason for lying. The hollow's reiatsu, I could feel it on him, I have no doubts that one attacked him."

"My baby." Masaki sobbed. Even though she knew he was fine, he was healthy, and he seemed happy, she could not bare the images in her head. Her son being mauled by a large, masked beast. Something so frightening, so devastating as that, then not feeling like you could tell someone. The story kept running through her head, nagging her with its truthfulness. All she could do was cry, again and again thinking 'My sweet, little boy. Did this really happen to my baby?'

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

"And so this notebook is something you just found, and it contained all of this information?" Rukia asked. Ichigo nodded. "You then realized who I was and found me at the park? The notebook was about..."

"Me. When I was a shinigami. The whole thing takes place six years in the future."

"I still don't get it, how did you think it was all true? I know you've already gone over this but I don't think I understand." Rukia rubbed her head, looking up at the sinking sun.

Ichigo leaned forward to pick up her juice box, simply because littering was bad. He tossed both in a nearby trash can, his eyes then rising too to the sun. _It's getting late. It'll be dark soon. Mama'll be upset if I'm home late. I'm not supposed to be out past dark. I can't tell how long I have though. Could be twenty minutes, could be an hour or so. _Ichigo sat back down, he opened his mouth to speak but he was interrupted by a loud beeping.

_Beep! Beep! Beep! _Rukia pulled out her cell phone. She flipped it open to revel a small screen that showed a flashing red dot on a blue map. Before he could even blink she was on her feet several feet away. Rukia screeched to a halt, turning back to look at him.

"It's a hollow!" She shouted. "Well, don't just sit there, come on!"

Ichigo just blinked in confusion. Rukia let out a growl of annoyance. "I'm not just gonna let you get away before we've finished our conversation. Besides," She motioned to the white bandage around his head. "If you're just scared you need to remember who it was that saved your butt last time."

"I can't keep up with a shinigami."

Rukia stomped back over to the bench and, grabbing onto his shirt, yanked him to his feet. The raven haired girl released him and leaned forward. "Hurry up, climb on and I'll carry you."

Reluctantly, Ichigo followed her orders.

_And thus begins the start of a new adventure..._

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Isshin knelt down on the floor across from Masaki. His fingers traced her arm transferring some invisible comfort, or, at the very least, want to comfort. _I'm lucky I even still have her. I can't stand to watch her so upset. I have to hold them close. _He hugged Masaki, wrapping her in his arms. _Always_. "Please forgive me, I made a grave mistake. It'll all be okay, I'll make sure of it."

It seemed an eternity that he simply held onto her. Masaki was calming down, whether she had actually managed to process everything, she, herself, did not even know. His hands tightened their clenching grasp. Masaki looked at her husbands eyes, which were staring at the ceiling. "What is it?"

Droplets of sweat ran down his face. His voice was hardly audible. "A hollow."

"What?!" Masaki pushed away from him. "No... We can't let this happen again. Hurry, come on!"

"I don't know..."

"What do you mean? It's going to get him!"

"There'll be a residential shinigami; they'll already be after it. I can't tell exactly where it is but it's not in the same place as Ichigo. So he might not even be in danger." Isshin explained as his head fell from its intense upward stare.

Masaki was torn in half. "But..."

"A hollow is a regular thing... that's why they have residential shinigami. We can't freak out every time one appears, or we'll never see the end of it. I've never seen a week during which at least one hollow didn't try to cross over to the World of the Living." Isshin's head snapped back up. "Ichigo's reiatsu, it's moving towards the hollow."

**Chapter End**


	5. Unmasking Truths and Unraveling Lies

**Chapter 5; Masking Truths and Unraveling Lies**

_Renji let out a loud whistle. "It's quite a view, ain't it?"_

_He had his back against the bark of a leafless tree, staring out at the world that seemed to stretch on forever before him. His place, under the spindly branches, was safe but his friend, who was someone a few days ago he'd never have guessed was someone's whose side he'd be standing by, stood right near the edge. _

_Ichigo had his arms folded across his chest as he scowled down at the whole of the Soul Society._

_"Lighten' up, kid!" Renji called lightheartedly. Although Ichigo didn't respond Renji could tell he'd gotten him with the comment. The boy fought to withhold his annoyance and seemed to win. "What's the matter, you mad at the Seireitei or something? Afraid they're going to try to kill you? Never know what those devious little suckers'll do after you close your eyes."_

_Renji was being sarcastic. The thing that got his friend was the implied notion that he couldn't even trust his new allies._

_"You would know." Ichigo retorted._

_"What do you mean by that?!" Renji gaped._

_"What I mean by that is that you are a shinigami."_

_"At least I'm a real shinigami."_

_Ichigo turned around, abandoning his dangerous place at the edge in order to stomp over to the red-headed Vice-Captain. "Just because I didn't spend thirty years at that stupid academy!"_

_"I did not take thirty years to graduate from the Soul Academy! At least I went to the 'stupid academy'! I didn't just steal my power."_

_The two were face to face to face, growling, when their heads were slammed together by two very small hands. Both Ichigo and Renji grabbed their heads and stumbled backwards. A small girl with dark black hair watched from the side._

_"Rukia! What are you doing up?" Ichigo asked, forgetting his pain._

_"The way you two were shouting you've probably awoken everyone from the Seireitei to the 80th District!" Rukia yelled. Although she was extremely small and petite they knew better than to intentionally provoke her, she could be aggressive and violent. That, unfortunately, only stopped them sometimes._

_"I thought you were resting up at the Kuchiki household. How'd you find us?" Renji recovered although his forehead was still almost as red as his hair._

_Rukia smirked, glancing at Ichigo. "It was like finding a disco ball in a hay stack. You two've been up here since before the sun even rose, what're you two up to?"_

_"Don't look at me, that idiot was up here before I was. I came to see what he was up to. Still never answered though..." Renji leaned onto one of the trees. He grinned. "Kinda scared him at first, he nearly fell off the edge."_

_"Did not!" Ichigo objected, raising his fist. His shihakushou's sleeve slid down, revealing his bandaged arms. Rukia frowned looking between both of them, she could only imagine after everything they must be wrapped like mummies. _

_Ichigo realized what she was staring at and his aggravation fell away. "We are better for the most part. But Captain Unohana told us 'even though you no longer feel pain from them, it doesn't mean your wounds have finished healing'. We've been subjugated to scheduled healing sessions until it's healed to the bone."_

"_Really? When's your next session?"_

"_It was supposed to be twenty minutes ago." Renji answered for him._

"_You're trying to hide?" She didn't approve but she couldn't help but grin. Ichigo would never be able to hide, not with his reiatsu problem. _

"_It's awkward." Ichigo muttered, kind of in disgust. "It's been five days. I hate people still looking at me like I'm some injured child."_

"_I think he's afraid someone's not going to trust him, take him out well he's not up to par. Reasonably, he did cause quite a problem for a lot of people, then beating captains. It's not very honorable but eliminating a possible threat would sound like a brave idea to some." Renji said, cushioning his head from the hard wood his hands._

"_That's ridiculous." Rukia snorted._

"_I agree." Ichigo glared at Renji._

"_Then what's up?" Renji asked._

"_Not that."_

_"The poor human can't even stand five days of healing? Don't you people usually take weeks to heal?"_

_"I don't recall even saying something was wrong. Would you just drop it?!"_

_The three formed a silent triangle, the conversation was dropped as requested because there was something in his voice that made Renji wonder if he'd pushed one to many buttons._

_"Kurosaki-kun!" They heard the chirpy voice of Orihime call. Along with Sado and Ishida she emerged from the dead forest. She smiled, seeing her other friends were there as well."Kuchiki-san! Renji-kun! How are you guys doing?"_

_"Not bad." Rukia said._

_"Can't complain." Renji muttered._

_"Hey, what're you guys doing up here?" Ichigo asked, even though he felt he already knew._

_"I was looking for you." Orihime said. "I went to the fourth squad but you weren't there. Then I felt your reiatsu from atop the Soukyoku hill. Ishida-kun and Sado-kun decided to come too."_

_Ishida looked at him in a penetrating manner. He knew that Ichigo had ditched her, run out on a scheduled event with the girl. His eyes scolded those of the pumpkin headed shinigami._

_"Can you lay down please, Kurosaki-kun?" Orihime requested. She took a set on the ground herself._

_Rukia paid close attention. Ichigo was acting a little strange so she was hoping to be able to figure it out. She could see him tense but he submitted without a complaint. He carefully layed down in front of her. As the orange barrier grew around him he thanked her. Rukia watched Orihime's and his eyes meet. They only held for a moment before falling away. For a moment his eyes reflected the disgust he'd displayed earlier. What Orihime's showed was... sympathy._

_"Oh..." Rukia murmured. _He did tell us, we just didn't listen. Ichigo this is a little childish, you're sick of the sympathy everyone's been giving you, and because of the fact everyone here seems to look down on you. It's because he's just a representative, because he's a human. _She looked at him, seeing something she hadn't in a long time. _And because he's just a child. _It was something Rukia often forgot. This 'man' was not a man at all. He was still just a kid._

_Rukia took a seat on the ground. _It's strange, those two. It was as if he'd come back alive, I know that night I left him laying there he was a goner. But he came, he infiltrated the Seireitei and was able to either evade or out power the Gotei 13 for days. In front of everyone he stopped the Soukyoku, destroyed the stand, and saved me. He did all of that and yet a human girl can make him bend to her will with a simple request. He said it was awkward. I can only imagine! He feels perfectly fine yet he still has to lay there for an hour or so.

_Ichigo watched the far off clouds through the orange tint of the barrier. He kept his back nice and straight, arms at his sides. He was forever grateful to his friend and her abilities, so he silently apologized for being a little annoyed as of late. _I'm not hurt. I'm fine, almost fine. But I don't need all those darn gaping shinigami. I helped or at least tried to help with Aizen which leads to gratitude, injury from said act leads to sympathy, which leads to the idea of me being weak and helpless. Before you know it they're all on high horses. Since when do I give a damn about what they think of me? I just can't stand the 'helplessness'. I need to be nicer to Inoue, though. She's doing me a favor. _There appeared to be a breeze, but it did not intrude upon the barrier._

_They were silent, each lost in their own thoughts. They were just being there, by each other's side. They were thankful they all were. It was calm._

_"Thanks again, Inoue." Ichigo said, shutting his eyes. It was peaceful, quiet. They were all around him, simply enjoying each other's company. The only thing that was hurting was his pride... the moment was nearly perfect. _I wish this could last forever.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Rukia skidded around the corner before flashing several feet ahead. She inhaled deeply, gripping tightly the legs of the child. "Man, you're heavy, _kozou_."

"Not for my age. Considering your age you're pretty short so you're probably not too much heavier than I am." Little Ichigo began explaining the why but she managed a back thump to the top of his head for calling her short. He didn't dare to let go, not even to ease the pain. He'd not even spent half of the day with this woman yet this was twice now. If he was going to be hanging around her he'd have to watch himself or his head was going to suffer. "I'm sorry, Ms. Kuchiki, I didn't mean it like that."

"Here we are." Rukia stopped on the roof of a two story house. A large, green skinned monster was roaming in the street a few houses down. She let go of his knees to draw her zanpaktou, he was still able to hold on.

"W-wait, you're not seriously going to carry me and fight that thing!?"

"You're right. That's a bad idea." Rukia shrugged the boy off, causing him to drop onto the tiled roof. "Don't go anywhere."

Ichigo peered down the side of the building and hurriedly scurried back. "Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere."

With that the shinigami disappeared.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

"He's moving towards it?" Masaki gasped. "We have to stop him. If he gets too close it will be able to sense him, right?"

"Ugh, I just don't know! It doesn't make sense, unless..." Isshin trailed off, grabbing his head in frustration.

"You don't think- he can't possibly still have his shinigami powers."

"He shouldn't, at least not that he can access."

"Then we need to go, I'd really rather be safe than sorry." Masaki was already halfway out the bedroom door.

"I'll go, but I don't want you to come. You can't even _see_." Isshin made his way up to where she'd come to a halt in the hall.

"I'm still his mother! It's a parent's responsibility to protect their children no matter what!"

"What about the girls? We can't leave them. Besides, you need to be careful, think about how it would effect Ichigo if he lost you." Isshin wiped away some tears that were still clinging to her cheeks. Staring deep into her eyes he softly kissed the spot the tear had been. "I'll be back soon, honey."

Masaki could only nod her head, frozen by a new wave of tears that seemed to have welled up. Isshin wasn't even three steps away when the hollow's reiatsu signature faded.

"What the- the hollow is gone." Isshin stuttered. The two exchanged looks of shock as they inwardly debated if in fact it could've been their son.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

"Waaa! You're bleeding!" Ichigo squealed in horror.

Rukia was grasping her shoulder, the cloth there was torn and a portion of the white was stained red. "I'm fine, just nicked me. I shouldn't have tried such a direct approach."

She sat down next to him on the roof, her hand started glowing green with kidou as she healed her wound. Ichigo watched, feeling useless. Seeing the blood sent shivers down his spine. It wasn't a whole lot but it was more than he was used to seeing.

The last little bit of the sun disappeared. Ichigo sighed. "Mama's not gonna be very happy. I was supposed to be home by now."

"Well, if you have a curfew you shouldn't go looking for trouble." Rukia jeered.

"I wasn't looking for trouble though! I was looking for you, Ms. Kuchiki."

"Yeah, trouble is what'cha get when you interfere with a shinigami."

Ichigo pouted slightly, resting his chin atop his knees. _I guess I can't really object. _He sneaked another peek over at the shinigami. She was busy studying her wound.

"Listen, _kozou_, give me a minute, I'll take you home."

Ichigo bowed his head. "Thank you. Will I see you tomorrow?"

"Who knows? I have my duties to attend to. I certainly want to hear this story of yours but I can't let it get in my way."

"I'll bring the notebook next time."

"Sounds good." Rukia moved her arm around until she was satisfied. "Okay, let's get going. Hey? You should pay attention when you're talking to someone."

Ichigo was staring at the sky in a dazzlement. "Look! It's the first star!"

"Haven't you seen stars before?"

"Of course I have. Just because you've seen something before it doesn't make that thing any less amazing."

Rukia stood up, wrapped her shoulder up with a bandage she must have extracted from somewhere amongst her shihakushou. She tightened it with her teeth and leaned forward so he could climb onto her back. "You're too optimistic for your own good."

Ichigo reluctantly stood up, afraid of slipping off the slanted, tiled roof. With her help her climbed up and positioned himself on her back, his head resting near the base of her neck.

"Don't fall asleep on me." Rukia warned, kicking off in a flash.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

"What are we going to do?" Masaki sniffed. Portions of redness around her eyes and the cloudy film that covered them were the only remaining signs that she had been crying.

The two were now at the dining room table, a pot of miso was bubbling atop the stove. The smell of the soup had wafted through the first story of the clinic till the air itself seemed tasty.

Isshin dropped his head into his hands. "I don't know, maybe he didn't really forget. Maybe, somehow, he figured out how to stop it."

"There was a distinct change in his personality that fit with what the book says. He had to have forgotten. The book, maybe he's read it." Masaki suggested.

"I'd be surprised if he hasn't. We just can't tell if he believed it or not."

"Maybe when he read it he remembered everything!"

"That would be... amazing. Still, there's no way he could've destroyed that hollow. Not without some type of device to detach the soul from the body. I don't know how he could get his hands on something like that."

"Those type of things really exist?!"

"Yeah, they were designed for shinigami missions that require extensive gigai use. The idea was developed and the use was quite common until around 60 years ago when the old, banished Mod Soul theory led the Technology and Development Bureau to develop the gikon pills. While the original Mod Souls were designed to fight hollows the new pills were merely to protect the shinigami's gigai and follow orders given by its owner." The way her husband could explain these things about this world helped to wash away her doubts of its existence.

Masaki nodded emptily.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Rukia touched down, landing on the street from the neighboring house. She let Ichigo down. "So this is it, _kozou_? Flashy place."

He smiled nervously. "It's just a clinic. My father's a doctor. The house door is around the side, through the gate."

"Kurosaki... is that your family name?" She asked, looking at the sign.

"Yes, I told you my name earlier. It's Kurosaki Ichigo." He said, feeling a little disappointed that she hadn't remembered.

"Cute name."

Ichigo laughed. "Thanks. Oh, uh..." He bowed deeply. "Thank you very much for your time today, Ms. Kuchiki. Thank you for letting me tell you, or begin to tell you my story, and thank you for carrying me home."

"No need for that." Rukia waved it off in embarrassment. "We both had better get going."

"Yeah, bye! Thanks again!" Ichigo shouted, as he unlocked the gate. Rukia gave a short wave before leaving him.

xXxXx

The handle jiggled, finding the door locked. A small fist could be heard knocking on the door.

"He's here. What do we do? What do we say?!" Masaki whispered urgently.

"Just don't say anything. Let's play it normal until we have more time to figure out how to handle it all." Isshin whispered back.

"Alright." Masaki opened the front door for her son. "There you are! I was starting to get worried."

"Sorry, Mama, I sorta lost track of the time." Ichigo slipped off his shoes and hugged his mother. She loved on the back of his orange head until he let go.

"Did you have fun playing with Tatsuki?" His father asked.

Ichigo grinned. "Yeah, we went to the park. Tatsuki got a new soccer ball! I'm not very good with running with the ball so Tatsuki was giving me some pointers, then we played catch!"

Little feet landed at the bottom of the stairs. Two little girls yawned and stretched as they looked at their family. "Good Mowning..."

"Good Morning my sweet babies! You two sure slept long! Are you hungry?" Masaki asked. Yuzu and Karin ran into her open arms and she snuggled them tightly.

"It was so dawk up staiws!" Yuzu whined.

"I know, the sun went down while you two were napping. Poor girls, were you confused?" She kissed them each on the forehead.

"I-it was so dawk, I sought I'd gotten eaten by a mwonstew!" Karin cried.

The little twins were disorientated and confused, having never before napped past sunset. Isshin and Ichigo helped coax them while Masaki dished up dinner. Finally the girls were calm and the Kurosaki's were able to indulge their taste buds with the simple soup.

"Where's your schoolbag?" Isshin tried to mask his curiosity by using a tone common for idle small talk.

Ichigo's hand subconsciously touched his shoulder where his bag usually hung. _Shoot, I forgot about it. I must've left it on the bench at the park. _"I didn't have any homework so I left it at school."

That was only half of a lie; he really didn't have homework tonight. If he could get his bag on his way to school in the morning, it would all be fine.

"So what should we do? The girls just woke up, Ichigo doesn't have homework; it sounds like the makings for some family time." Masaki encouraged excitedly.

"Uh-oh! Daddy's it! Daddy's going to get you!" Isshin stood, his voice deepened in attempt to sound like a monster. In a mixture of screams and giggles Ichigo quickly ushered the twins up the stairs.

"Count to 100! Count to 100!" He shouted down at his father.

Isshin and Masaki smiled at each other.

"Hey, what about the residential?" She asked as she carefully set the stack of bowls on the counter.

Isshin grabbed the flash light from atop the fridge. "What?"

"Earlier, what happened with the hollow, could it have been the residential shinigami that killed it? It could've just been a coincidence that he was headed towards it."

"Good logical thinking!" He flashed a thumbs up. "However we have no way of telling. I wasn't really paying attention to their reiatsu."

"Huh... I wonder what it could be. Do you think he'd tell us?"

"Assuming 'Our Ichigo' didn't read the book and remember everything, which would make him 'that Ichigo', I think he would. He's always told us about everything, even if it took a few days, right?" Isshin opened one of the drawers and pulled out two rather large batteries to replace the old ones in the flash light with.

Masaki frowned and even scowled slightly. "Do we really know that for certain?"

"What do you mean?"

"We don't know for sure that he's always told us everything judging on what we know alone. We don't know if there's something he's never told us, even if he never had a reason to lie I guess we can't be 100 certain he never has."

"I don't know, Masaki. It doesn't really sound like Ichigo, I'm sure he would never intentionally do something that would hurt someone else. He's too sweet and innocent a boy."

"Yeah, I guess." Masaki was still unsatisfied.

"We had better get a move on before the children mummify." Isshin joisted, giving his wife a loving pat on the back. "I'll be up in a minute. Good luck hiding, My Sugar Coated Muffin!"

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Masaki rolled over, unable to sleep. She'd been tossing and turning all night. Tomorrow just wouldn't be the same as every day had been before it. Even if this whole thing was 'falling under the surface'. Life would never feel the same.

_My son. I really wish I could've spoken to him, knowing all of this, before he forgot. I wish I could've done something for him. Even if all I could do was comfort him, offer him some bit of attempted understanding. Just hold him. Just love him. I would have just held him in my arms for those last 30-or-so hours if it would help to ease him._

She curled into a ball.

_That whole time, he didn't tell us any of it! When we got ice cream, when we got home... how could he look us in the eyes and smile? After what had happened - what was happening to him. How...? Was he always like that? Or was that just the him from that time? How could we ever tell? I couldn't see through it when it happened... how many times has this happened right under my nose?_

She squeezed her eyes shut; trying to leave her thoughts, but her memories took her back to a time nearly a year and a half earlier. Ichigo must've been 7...

_The small child winced even though his mother's touch was gentle. The skin surrounding his eye was bruised. At his age it wasn't an uncommon thing. Clicking her tongue, Masaki shook her head. "Yup, you've got a black eye."_

_She went to the freezer for a bag of frozen peas. Ichigo was sitting on the counter, his little legs kicking. Masaki handed him the peas and instructed him to hold it to his eye. "Now, what happened?"_

_"I was playing baseball with Tatsuki and missed it; it hit my head instead of my bat!" He grinned; his face seemed to be caught perfectly by the rays of the setting sun. It was as if he, himself was glowing._

_"Oh no! I hope you still had fun."_

_"I did! I did! Mama..." Masaki lifted her boy up into the air, spun him in a circle, and set him down on the ground._

_"Now, how 'bout you take off your coat and put your school bag up." Masaki told him._

_"But it's freezing in here!" He declared in a way that also seemed to say 'you're insane if you're not'. He tugged on his sleeve, making sure it was stretched to full length. It was something then she had not thought much of. The house was plenty warm but she didn't argue with him on it. Thinking back... what if... _

_"Hey, Mama." Ichigo said, turning back to look at her. He smiled so innocently, yet nervously. "I love you."_

_She returned his smile, thinking 'how sweet'. "I love you too, Ichigo."_

Masaki stared at the cracks of moon light that peaked through the curtains. _Was what he said the truth? Was I blind? Always... It seems that I always was failing to see the truth. I simply never thought my boy would. I thought I'd never given my boy a reason to lie. Never, so then why? Even this whole shinigami thing! Maybe I am just that, blind._

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

In the morning, on his way to school, he stopped by the park. The shinigami was no where to be seen but thankfully he found his bag next to where they had been sitting on the bench. _I wonder where she is. A hollow? Or maybe just off performing konso's._

Upon stepping into the class room he was instantly glomped by Tatsuki. She had been absent the day before so she didn't know he'd come, to her it was his first day back to school. "Thank goodness!"

"Good Morning, Tatsuki!" He laughed, having never been hugged so powerfully by Tatsuki before.

Tatsuki let go, her hand lightly brushing the white bandage that still remained around his head. Most of her memories of the incident seemed to have grown faint. She wanted to forget.

"It looks like a headband." She commented, patting her friend gently on the shoulder. _I was so worried about you._

"Yeah, it actually looks kind of cool, huh?" Ichigo agreed with a wide smile. "Thank you, Tatsuki, thank you for helping me. Without you I would've-"

"C'mon, we're blocking the door. We should go sit down." She took his hand and led him along. Although his older self would've objected, his younger self did not. Tatsuki was his best friend, one of the few... perhaps the only friend he had. Ichigo was a sweet, kind, happy child but he was different. Everyone picked on him... those who didn't tended to ignore him either because he was different or because they were afraid they'd be picked on too. But Tatsuki was strong; she stood and defended him when he could not. So he didn't object, he'd almost grown dependant on her. "You don't have to thank me; you would've done the same."

Ms. Suzuki entered chiming. "To your seats"

So both sat down at their desks, Tatsuki was right behind Ichigo. They were in the fifth and final row, closest to the windows. She stared at the back of the spiky-orange, sun-resembling head. _I still don't understand what happened that day. It was only over a week ago. I'm so glad he can already walk and smile._

When he leaned forward to get something out of his desk she could see large, dark portions from underneath his shirt. She cringed as the image of him being slammed into the wall replayed in her mind. Bruises. _Doesn't it still hurt? It has to still hurt. That kid would do just about anything to keep everybody happy, and to not make them worry about him. He really is crazy._

"Well, it looks like we're all here today! Let's begin." Ms. Suzuki carried a book from her desk to the podium. She flipped it open. "Alright, we're going to read the passage on the Tokigawa Period on page 213. Everyone there? ...Okay, who'd like to start us off? Tatsuki, you were absent yesterday, let's get back in the school mood! Please read the first paragraph out loud."

Tatsuki stood up at her desk and began to recite the words in her book.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Isshin was busier than usual, having an abundance of appointments, so he didn't have much time to talk with Masaki. His lunch break, which was usually at 12:30, as long as there weren't appointments around that time, was now moved up to 2:00. Yuzu and Karin were coloring in coloring books in front of his desk, as he tried to hurriedly finish writing his notes for the last patient so that his stomach didn't have to suffer any longer.

"Hey! How's everyone doing?" Masaki peeked in from the door. She pushed it the rest of the way open with her back, attempting to balance four plates in her hands. The door fell shut behind her and with ease she handed out the plates. "Peanut butter and strawberry jelly for Yuzu, grilled cheese for Karin, egg salad for Daddy, and tomato-lettuce-ham for Mommy!"

"Thank you Mwommy!" Yuzu shouted, taking a large bit.

"Mmmith ith vewy gwuab." Karin fought through the food that was stuffing her mouth to form words. They had their plates on top of their open coloring books, crayons rolled uncontained on the pages and floor surrounding them.

"Thank you, dear." Isshin said, truly thankful.

"Hey, guess what?" Masaki asked, leaning against the wall next to him.

"You like to feed me eggs?" Isshin guessed.

"Not quite." Masaki stated, although she was amused at his response. "I was going to look at the notebook, so I went into Ichigo's room... and it's gone."

"Really? That means he definitely read it. We just need to figure out if he's believing it or not. He must have it with him right now. I wonder what he's doing with it..."

"You're waiting to tell him, right? Is it really that important to figure out whether he believes that book or not?"

"Well, I guess not really. Maybe I'm just stalling because I'm nervous and otherwise I'm not really sure how to handle this. It certainly would be interesting though... It is important that we do talk to him. He needs to know. He lives in this would, yet he was unwillingly dragged into a different, dangerous one. Teaching him how to stay safe is the least I could do for him."

"Remember, he's just nine, a child. It actually shouldn't be as hard as telling an adult. You didn't offer me any solid evidence besides the notebook but I believed you."

"You're my wife."

"And he's your son."

Isshin shoved the last bit of his sandwich into his mouth. "The girls too, we'll have to tell them too."

"Now or later? Are you sure they can even see?" Masaki set her empty plate on top of his. Tiny-tiny fingers grasped onto the front of his desk, followed by the questioning expressions of two small children.

"Tewl us what?"

"Your brother was a super hero." Isshin stated before his wife could find her words.

"A swupow hewow? Awe you joking, Daddy?" Karin asked, knowing her father's comical ways.

"No, no. He was. That's why Ichigo's hair is orange."

"Den what's Big Bwadda's swupow powaas?" Yuzu questioned.

"Invisibility, only certain people can see him."

"But Big Bwadda goes to schoowl, evewybody can see him." Karin argued.

"That's why it's his super power; he could choose when he wanted to be." Isshin explained. "But the thing is, you know how he hit his head really bad and he stayed in bed for a long time?"

"Yeah."

"Well, after he hit his head he forgot that he was a super hero and he might've lost his power. But the invisible monsters are still trying to get him so Mommy and Daddy need to talk to him, but we need your help."

"Poow Bwadda. What can we do, Daddy?" Karin was the one who responded. Innocent, little Yuzu hadn't been expecting the story to have such an unhappy ending; the curiosity was gone, she just seemed to be sympathizing for her brother.

Isshin held up one finger. "First, for now I want you guys to keep it a secret. Until we tell you its okay to talk to him about it, okay?"

They nodded in compliance.

"Second, we need you to tell us if you've ever seen any monsters with white faces. Maybe tails or claws? A large hole through its tummy?"

"No." Karin said.

"I don't think so." Yuzu answered.

Isshin smiled at Masaki in relief. Although it wasn't nearly an 100 percent garuntee, it could mean that his girls were uneffected; safe. "Thank you so much for helping Daddy! Remember, shhh."

The girls put their index fingers to their lips and copied his 'shhh'.

"That went well." Masaki commented, proud of her husband. She noticed, though, that her children seemed a little upset. "Don't worry about him, okay? Ichigo will be alright, Mommy and Daddy are going to take care of him."

Karin spoke up meekly. "Is dat why Big Bwadda got huwt, how he hit his head weally badwy, did one of da mwonstews get him?"

Masaki clenched her teeth, looking at her husband uncomfortably. "Yes."

"I hope Big Bwadda can be a supaa hewow again." Yuzu muttered.

"But if Big Bwadda gets his supaa hewow powaas back den he'll be fighting dose mwontews again! What if he gets huwt again?" Karin argued with her twin.

"Dere awe people with supaa powaas on da TeeBee. When I see dem I always think dat it would be fun to have supaa powaas, so I think dat Big Bwadda might also wike to have dem. And if da mwonstes awe aftew him even when he doesn't it would be safew if he did have dem, so he could pwotect himsewf."

Isshin began clapping. "Wow! You two should be on a debate team!" He raised his pen up like a microphone. "The topic for today is; WOULD ICHIGO LIKE TO GET HIS SUPER INVISIBILITY POWERS BACK?!"

"But Daddy, how does he beat dem? He's invisibew and dey're invisibew but dey can see each othew, wight? If Big Bwadda can't even beat Tatsuki in karate den I don't think he could beat a mwonstew just because he can see it."

Masaki and Isshin couldn't help but grin.

"Children really are precious." Isshin laughed, then to Karin; "It's a different kind of stregnth, with the monsters. More like magic."

Yuzu scoffed her shoe in a shy manner. "Mommy and Daddy, do you want Big Bwadda to get his powaas back?"

They fell silent, exchanging nervous glances.

"I don't think I would want him to. I think he's too young for that, he was too young for that at 15... If he wanted to be a shinigami after he went to the Soul Society or whatever that place is called, then I would support him. But right now it's something that would just mess up his life, like it had." Masaki answered her daughters question but her eyes never left her husband.

"It did seem to do something for him, it helped him." Isshin pointed out.

Masaki wasn't upset but she shut her eyes and shook her head. "Before it took it all away."

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Tatsuki exchanged some items between her bag and her locker, making sure she had everything she would need for that night's dishing of homework. She slammed the door shut and was about to walk away when conversing voices from behind her caught her attention.

"That Kurosaki kid is a real freak..." A girl with long black hair pulled back into a ponytail was saying to her brunette, blue eyed friend.

"He must be in a gang or something; I don't know why else someone would bleach their hair." Her friend walked up to a locker about five away from Tatsuki's and started entering a combination.

"If he bleaches he sure keeps tabs on his roots, are you sure it's not natural?" The black haired one asked.

"I don't care what his lineage is, there's no way that's natural. Why are you bringing this up? You know your mother told you to stay away from him."

"Oh yeah, I thought it was interesting. You know like a year ago people were saying he could see ghosts or something. My little sister was playing at the park yesterday; she said there was a weird boy with orange hair that just sat on the bench the whole time, talking to himself. He was there for like two hours."

"What? Really? I don't know about ghosts, I'd say Kurosaki's a little insane. Seeing what's growing out of it there has to be something wrong in his head."

The locker door slammed in front of them, an angered Tatsuki's hand held it shut. She glared at the girls. "I'm sick of you people treating him like this. He's never done anything to you, and even if you kept it up he still never would. He's perfectly sane, and one of the nicest people you could ever hope to meet."

"I don't get why you always try to stick up for the little brat." The brunette snickered, unaffected by Tatsuki's burning eyes.

"You should stay away from him, Tatsuki, he's dangerous." Warned the black haired one. "He's probably got you wrapped around his finger."

"It's really a shame; out of everyone you could've chosen to be friends with you had to choose Kurosaki. I'd hate to see you become a Yankee."

"You guys are horrible!" Tatsuki spat. "How could you talk about someone like that, like they're nothing?!"

"You don't get it, Arisawa-san. Someone like him could never be accepted. There's a phrase 'the nail which sticks up shall be nailed down'. Kurosaki is a rebel. Come on, Mariko, I'll just borrow your English book, let's go." They huffed and puffed their way down the hall.

Tatsuki rolled her eyes, not letting herself follow them. _After what happened how can a building full of people not even show him a little compassion? Well, the teachers don't treat him differently but they don't do anything about it... Ichigo... where is he? I'd better catch up to him if I'm going to get him to talk._

Thankfully he stuck out like a sore thumb in the flowing crowd of students rushing out the gates in their eagerness to get home. She weaved her way through the mass and followed him silently out of it, about a block later it was only the two of them. Tatsuki fell back, she was anxious to see what he'd say but at the same time afraid to both hear the answer and ask the question.

Ichigo reached into his bag and pulled out a black notebook, he stared at it for a moment then hugged it to his chest. Abruptly he stopped. "Tatsuki?"

"I-I-I, uh... Hi! How was school?" Tatsuki hopped up to his side.

"You're in my class; you were with me the whole time." He laughed. "Why are you stalking to me?"

"Stalking?! I wasn't stalking you. I was just thinking. So, what's that you've got?" She asked, eyeing his notebook.

"Where did you go? You've been gone for two days." Ichigo questioned, flat out ignoring hers.

"Four, actually. We went to Okinawa to see my Granny; she hasn't been feeling too good lately. Don't tell me you've already been up and running, I thought this was your first day back."

"Nah, four days out of bed, three days out of the house. Sorry I was asleep when you came to visit."

"Darn, I guess I missed out." She complained. "I came over three times but your sleeping pattern was on the frits, though all that sleep seems to have done you good. Your mother said you'd been in and out since it happened, no one could guess when you'd be awake or asleep. I would've brought flowers but I didn't know if you were into that type of thing."

"Your mother dropped by on Thursday I think it was... gave me a little teddy bear wearing a blue 'Get Well Soon' shirt. She told me she didn't know if she should apologize or thank me, but she wanted me to get better."

"Really? I had no idea Mom went to see you. What did you say?"

His face became flushed with a combination of embarrassment and shame. "Mama had just given me some pain killers so I was groggy. I hope I didn't leave a bad impression on her."

"What did you do?!"

"That's just it, I didn't do anything. I was awake but still out of it. All I could do was stare out the window. I said thank you but I don't think she heard me." He sighed.

"She probably thought you were really badly off." Tatsuki told him, imagining the boy rather sickly propped up by pillows, hooked up to a monitoring machine, as he blankly stared out the window. She would have assumed the worse. "How can you do all of this? You always seem so guilty, and you never excuse yourself or blame someone else. It has to be getting to you by now. The way the other kids treat you, if you told your parents they could help you, you know? How do they still think your life's so happy and dandy?!"

"Because it's not their fault. They've done all they could do for me my whole life. 'You can only admire or like someone because you see a part of yourself in them, and you can only hate or despise someone because you see a part of yourself in them.' I don't entirely agree with that though. I think you could admire someone for something you wish you had. Since we see the world as a projection of ourselves when we can't see something of ourselves there can only be acceptance or, more often then not, rejection. Those kids at school don't see any part of themselves in me; I don't fit into their projections, so they reject me. What would telling my parents do besides upset them? Even if they could get the others to accept me, somehow make it so I fit in. I don't think I want to fit in, not with them."

"Wha..." Tatsuki unconsciously stopped walking. _Man he sure thinks a lot... It's sad. He makes a good point. It's as if both sides understand, it's like they agree! The girls were telling me how they could never accept him, I was angry, but here he is trying to tell me the same thing! _She quickly caught up with him. "Sorry, Ichi, I'm not buying it. You make it seem as if you don't even mind, and we both know that's not true. They say just talking about something helps. Have you ever thought of talking about it with your mother?"

"Nope." Even though their conversation was so serious and sort of intense he was still grinning happily, like the care free kid he pretended to be.

"Why not?!"

"Because," He looked up at the bright blue of the sky. "It doesn't matter."

"That's not true! This is bullying, which can be a very serious problem."

He smiled back at her and, with what seemed like amazement or breathlessness at what he was saying, he giggled. "No, that's not it. Sometimes I feel sad, sometimes I even cry but when I go home and I see Mama, and Dad. Karin and Yuzu run up and hug me. Everyone is smiling and I can't help but smile too. They love me just as much as I love them. When I'm with them it all washes away and it no longer matters."

Tatsuki didn't have much time to think, soon after he finished talking he halted. She nearly crashed into him but managed to catch herself. He just turned and stood there, almost like he was waiting for her to do something.

Tatsuki didn't understand until her confusion lead her to inspect the place they were in front of... the park. Instantly her eyes scanned the benches as she recalled what the girls had said. There was no one, at least no one she could see. She'd been so mad about how they were talking about him that she hadn't paid attention to what they were saying.

"Ichigo, just answer one more question. That thing that attacked us, was it a ghost?"

**Chapter End**


	6. Erosion

**Chapter 6; Erosion**

"Ichigo, just answer one more question. That thing that attacked us, was it a ghost?"

Ichigo pursed his lips in contemplation. He didn't have to say anything, his silence was enough to tell Tatsuki that she'd hit the nail right on the head. How that was even possible was beyond her.

"But you told me you couldn't." Tatsuki stated, her thoughts about her friend began to shift. _He lied to me too_.

"I didn't know. I've always seen them; I never thought they were anything other than human. I didn't even think there was something... wrong with me until I started school. A few days ago I figured out for sure what was going on. I'm sorry, it was unintentional but it was still a lie." He apologized to her.

"You didn't know?"

"I didn't even know what that monster was." He answered with a nod.

"A monster? There are ghost monsters?"

"They're called 'hollows'. They used to be normal ghosts but they couldn't move on. They become sad and their souls rot until they turn into monsters that feed off other souls."

"How did you figure it out? When did you... you've been in bed for over a week."

"I read a book, it was written by someone who could also see." He half-lied.

"How'd you find something like that?"

"He gave it to me, a while ago actually, but I didn't look at it until I had nothing to do but lay there."

"Who is he? Can I meet him?" She asked. He shook his head.

"He's...dead."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know." Tatsuki felt bad, the air between them became awkward. She looked down at the park, the three benches that lined the sandy play area. Finally she worked up enough courage to ask; "What do you see down there?"

Ichigo turned to look at the park. Tatsuki watched him carefully; to her no one was in the park. His amber eyes came to rest on the right most bench. His mouth opened to speak but at first no sound came out. "I see a woman... on that bench."

Tatsuki's throat seemed to have tightened; there really was a ghost so near... her heart beat grew louder as she stared hard at the bench.

"She's wearing an outfit that's all black, it's like something from back in history; maybe... the Edo period? I'm not sure. Her hair is black, a little over shoulder length, styled in a strange way. She's small, short. She could easily pass as a high school student, maybe even a middle school student." Ichigo continued.

"...Do you know her name?" Tatsuki managed.

Ichigo blinked; as his eyelids opened the nervousness was replaced by something else. It was a certain light that Tatsuki couldn't quite define. "Her name is Rukia."

The awkwardness seemed to be dissipating. As he became more comfortable answering her questions she became more comfortable asking them. "Is she your friend?"

"Yes."

"Is that why you didn't wait for me like you usually do? Why you stopped here? Hoping I would go along my way and leave you to speak with your friend?"

He nodded, "I promised, yesterday, that I would come back."

"I'm assuming it would be uncomfortable is I went down there with you?"

"Uh... yeah, sorta... I'm sorry Tatsuki, it's just..." He tried to apologize.

Tatsuki just smiled. "Well I guess I'll see you tomorrow then. Don't want to keep her waiting. Thanks for answering my questions, thank you for telling me the truth. I want to hear more but I also need to think about some stuff."

She walked past him, with one last glance at the park. He turned to watch her. "Thank you, Tatsuki!"

He hopped down the dark, blue stone steps to the park. The sun reflected off the empty playground equipment and seemed to light the whole place up. Even the shadows from the trees seemed lighter. "You made it! I was hoping all day you would make it!"

"Hey there, Strawberry Short Cake!" Rukia called, not bothering to stand.

"That's not very nice, Ms. Kuchiki." He told her with a look that was so serious it was cute.

"Alright then, I wont call you Strawberry Short Cake anymore... we'll just have to stick with _kozou_."

"I have a name!" He declared.

"So... how about we make a deal. I'll stop calling you _kozou_ and you stop calling me Ms. Kuchiki. It makes me feel old." She bargained.

"Okay, it's a deal, Kuchiki." They shook hands to seal the deal.

"So, we gonna look at that book or what?"

"Yeah... do you think we could sit on the play-gym since no one else is here?" Ichigo requested.

"Why would you want to sit up there?"

"I think it would be fun."

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

"Ow ow ow ow! Please, stop it, Jinta!" She could hear Ururu shouting from outside.

_Kisuke really should teach those kids some manners. _Yoruichi thought in annoyance as she blew on a fresh bowl of steaming rice. She cracked a raw egg into it and stirred so that it cooked as it oozed between the hot rice grains.

She adjusted the stripped hat on her head with a smirk. She was about to dig in when one of the doors slid open. Urahara came in looking rather stressed.

"I can't find my-" He stopped, seeing the item he'd been searching everywhere for. "Yoruichi, you took my hat!"

"Sorry." She said. "It's been a while since I've seen you without it on. You really shouldn't wear it so much."

"Why not, you're the one who gave it to me after all."

"It's the difference between a mysterious persona and the nervous goofball of a guy I knew back in the Soul Society, late to your first captain meeting..."

"I wouldn't say goofball." Urahara frowned. "I was really nervous. Can I have my hat back?"

"Hmm...I kinda like it though...it's cute." Yoruichi complained, tossing it to him.

Urahara caught it. "Thank you, but you don't need a hat to look cute. Anyway, uh... can you guess who the residential shinigami for Karakura currently is?"

"No, is it someone we know?" Yoruichi didn't seem very happy at the thought of it.

"It's Kuchiki Rukia."

"Really?! But if that book of yours is the truth then this isn't the right time. She's not supposed to be the residential for about six more years. I don't really know about that book anyway. I think it's fake. Maybe this is just one of Isshin's jokes. A well thought out joke."

"When we left Byakuya was just a boy, I'm sure even Isshin wouldn't have known that he would adopt someone from the Rukongai. It isn't a joke but something is definitely off. I think I'm going to go find Isshin's boy."

"And do what, exactly?" Yoruichi poured a little soy into her bowl and gave it three stirs with a chop stick.

"Why bring him back of course!" Urahara said in a sing-song voice. He was hit in the face by Yoruichi's lunch. The bowl shattered on impact, covering his face in a painful mixture of hot food and broken pottery.

"That's called kidnapping! There are things you can't do without Isshin's permission. Copying his book is one thing but kidnapping his son is another." Yoruichi growled.

"_Ita-ta-ta-ta-ta..._" Urahara scrapped the food off his face before it could burn his skin even further. "But we have to do something. We might've missed the foreplay but it's not at all over. I won't bring him back but I'm going to watch him."

"You're getting too far ahead of yourself and not thinking this through. He can see you so you're going to have a hard time spying on him without him noticing."

Urahara affixed his hat to his head, smiling slyly. "Then might I ask you for a favor?"

"You want me to do it?" Yoruichi asked, feeling even more agitated.

"I can't turn into a cat."

"You probably could if you really tried, Mr. Founder of the Technology and Development Bureau. I'll go, but you have just ruined my lunch and I'm not happy about it." She grumbled.

"Then why don't you eat before you go? It's late, I wouldn't want you to starve." Yoruichi clearly wasn't happy with the comment. "Here, I'll join you."

Urahara was scooping a new bowl of rice out of the steamer when her hand grazed his shoulder. "This doesn't mean it won't happen, Kisuke. We can't let Aizen get his hands on the Hougyoku. We have to be sure to take care of the girl while she's still here."

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

"Waahehe! See, I told you it'd be fun!" Ichigo chirped, sipping from a juice carton. His legs were slipped through the red bars, kicking as was a habit of his.

"Hey, Ichi, what's up with those drinks you're always drinking?" Rukia was standing next to him, leaning on the railing.

"It's apple juice! Mama buys them for me to have with lunch, but I always save it for after school because even if I bring my own lunch I can get milk from the cafeteria. Then I always have something to look forward to!"

"I would've never guessed someone like you wouldn't just be eager to get out of school. Is it really that big of a deal?"

"It's complicated." He laughed.

_Kozou, you certainitly are strange. _Rukia sat down next to him. "So, can I see it?"

"Yeah, yeah. Here you go." Ichigo handed her the notebook. Rather then slipping her limbs through the bars as he had she rested her back against them.

"...your Mama, is she...you know...dead?" Rukia asked unsurely.

"No, Mama's fine. He saved her." Ichigo layed back so he could stare at the sky. "Would you mind reading out loud? I like the story."

"Um, sure."

"Thank you."

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Without a shift in the main light source the shadows grew, extending further across the loose sand. Their objects of origin were tall stone spires. From on top one of them a figure watched as the creatures below hid and bathed in the shadows. He felt above them. They we merrily worms.

His lips pulled back, baring his jagged teeth in a broad grin. His voice was loud and booming yet it had an undertone like a squeaky door. "In the world of the living, there seems to be some strong spirit signatures."

Each limb ended with four, long, needle-like claws that dug into the stone. He licked his lips excitedly. "Tasty spirit signatures."

He kicked off and landed on the ground, growling at the other hollows. "They're mine."

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

"...How very brave of you... This is interesting, _ko_...oh, uh... Ichi." Rukia commented. When he didn't respond she lowered the book. His eyes were closed. His chest rose and sank softly with each breath. "Ichi-go? He's asleep..."

His right hand was on his stomach with the empty juice box; his left was up near his head lightly clasping the leg of her hakama. _How long has he been out?_ _Should I wake him up? If I get a call I couldn't just leave him. If the sun sets his family will start to worry...hmmm... well I guess this is a good place to stop._

"Ichigo? Hey, I think you should get up. Ichigo" Rukia shook him.

Ichigo stirred, his eyes slowly opened. "Ms. Kuchiki..."

"I told you not to call me that!" She flicked his nose.

"Sorry." He apologized, midstretch. "I fell asleep. Oh, where did you get to?"

"I just got to the part where you save me. It was very brave of you."

Ichigo stood up with a heavy sigh. "Darn it, I should get going. You can hold onto the book if you want. You can finish it if you don't have work tonight."

"Oh, thank you. Did you want me to walk you home?"

"No thanks. I'll be fine." He said, swaying slightly in his still tired state.

"Oh, I have one more question, if you don't mind answering before you go." Rukia handed him the folded picture he'd shown her after the 'introduction' the other day. "You were so sure it was me. Was this really all it took?"

Ichigo unfolded it so he could smile at the little chibis. "Not entirely. It wasn't exactly sure the first time I saw you... it was when you were closer, when you saved me from that hollow. I didn't understand why I felt the way I did, not for a long time. It's hard to explain. It's like..." He grabbed the front of his shirt, staring deep into her violet eyes. "He forgot but his body still remembers. The feeling was extremely nostalgic. I felt like I knew you. You felt important. I couldn't remember your name, I couldn't match your face with anyone I'd seen before but the feeling was so strong that I held onto it and when I read that... when I read it I knew somewhere deep within my guts that it had to be you. There was no way it could've been anyone else. That's also one of the reasons I believed it."

The mood was suddenly so serious it took what seemed like forever for either to break the silence.

"I see." Rukia smiled nervously. "Thanks... alright, well, Good Bye then."

He nodded, clutching the picture tightly in his right hand. "Good Night Kuchiki."

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

The whole place was large and empty, even small sounds from the main area seemed to echo throughout. The back half of the building had large, stone shelves which were the closest thing they had to rooms. It could've been used as a military storage facility in the past but now it was their home.

Aside from the large, rolling, metal door that took up the majority of the wall opposite the stairs there was a human-sized door on the east side of the structure for easy access. It was through this door that the girl clambered, her arms full of bags. Although her appearance seemed optimistic she wore a frown.

"I'm home!" Mashiro called. "I got groceries!"

Several of her friends were lounging in earshot, either on the main floor or near the edges of the next few up. Hachigen came to help her with the bags.

"Thank you, Mashiro. We were running out." He thanked. After he walked off to put up the groceries Mashiro found Shinji. He was laying on a couch on the main floor, reading a book.

"Shinji! I want to show you something!" She whistled, rocking on her heels.

"What did you find this time?" Shinji asked, not caring to set down his book.

"It's outside!"

"I'm not going outside right now." He grumbled.

"But you need to come see this!" She complained. She began rolling back and forth on the ground. "I just wanna show you! You're being lazy, Shinji! Why can't you just come outside for a second?"

"What's all this noise about?" Kensei asked, hopping down from somewhere above.

"Shinji won't come with me!" She whined.

"I don't see why he'd want to." Kensei told her. "Why don't you just tell him about it?"

"I can't!"

"Why not?"

"It's just not the same!"

Shinji and Kensei exchanged looks of annoyance. She stood up but she was still pouting. Mashiro quickly fixed her lime green hair. The other Vaizard had begun to gather on the main level to see what the commotion was for.

Mashiro seemed to pull a magazine out of the air because no one there thought she could've possibly hidden it anywhere else. "Hey, Love, if you come with me I'll give you this week's Shonen Jump."

"You got it?" Love asked, handing Lisa back the manga he'd just borrowed.

It was then that Hachigen returned, he seemed a bit nervous. "I stepped outside to see if I could see what Mashiro was talking about, I think everybody should come."

Everybody ended up agreeing. They were willing to listen to the elder, large man, if he thought they should look at something it was far more likely to be worth their while. So the seven of them followed Hachigen out of the side door. He walked to the front of the barrier, a door sized hole opened in its clear orange surface. "Spirit signatures are... muffled through the barrier."

Shinji, Kensei, Mashiro, Love, Lisa, Rose all went out behind Hachigen, Hiyori was lagging lazily behind. But as soon as she stepped out she gasped as if the wind had been knocked out of her. "Another Vaizard?!"

"How did we not notice?" Rose asked.

The collection of strange people were staring at the sky in dazzlement.

"Hachi must be getting really good with the barriers." Love laughed.

Hachigen seemed a bit embarrassed from the comment. "It's only supposed to work one way."

"What are we going to do about it, Shinji?" Mashiro questioned.

"How am I supposed to know?" Shinji asked back.

"We should check it out, see who it is." Mashiro suggested.

"What if they're working with the shinigami?" Kensei scoffed.

"Doubt it." This time it was Lisa who spoke.

"There are only two things that could've happened." Rose stated with a nod. "He's either done this to himself or someone's done it to him. Either way it's probably not a very happy story. Could explain why he's in the world of the living, maybe the Gotei 13 banished him."

"What makes you so sure they're a guy?" Lisa glared.

Rose shrugged. "It's an educated guess."

"Yeah, right! Based on what education?"

"Well... the only girls here are you and Mashiro so the states are 2;6." Love interjected. "That's only a twenty-five percent chance that they're a female."

"It doesn't work like that! It's 50-50!" Lisa argued.

"I'm a girl too you know! It's 3;5! 3;5!" Hiyori shouted.

"There you go, three-to-five. Sixty-percent!" Love declared in a finalizing manner.

"Are we going to do anything about this?" Hiyori asked, trying to ignore the useless arguing.

"What can we do when we don't know anything about it? He or she is strong enough to be a captain. We have no way to know if the Gotei 13 even knows. We don't need any allies at the moment, it would be better not to draw unnecessary attention to ourselves." Shinji explained, but Hiyori was unsatisfied.

"I don't think the Gotei 13 would let someone like this be a captain. They don't have any control over their reiatsu, it's just spilling everywhere!" Hiyori denied his explanation. "Aren't you guys at least curios? Maybe it's someone we know."

"So what if it is? We have no idea what we would do if we were to do something. I doubt we could all agree on a choice of action but if we could such a quick decision would be reckless. For now I think it would be best if we just wait." Kensei turned and walked back through the barrier without waiting for Hachigen to open it. It only gave him a slight resistance because it wasn't intended to protect against what he was.

"He's got a point." Rose agreed. Slowly, they all did. The excitement began to die down and they all returned home. Hiyori took one last look up at the blue sky. _How can they have so much control over their curiosity?_

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

"Mama! Stop, Mama! Please! No!" Ichigo burst out in laughter as his mother tickled him. He wiggled in her lap, trying to break free. But not even Kurosaki Ichigo could escape Masaki's tickling grasp.

She released him. Instead of running like she'd expected him to he hugged her, quickly burying his head in her chest.

"I love you so much!" He giggled.

She hugged him back. "I love you more! But you should be careful hugging someone who's possessed by a tickle monster! It's dangerous, they could just, dun-dun-dun...get you!"

He snuggled her tighter. "Then I'll just hold on until I tame that monster inside of you."

"Hey," She put her hand on the back of his head. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, Mama. I've just been out a lot lately, I haven't had much time with you. I'm really glad we could play again."

Her hand moved down his back and pulled up his shirt. His back was still blotched with bruises; though it was a lot better then it had been the first day. The color had faded from blacks and purples to blues and browns. She couldn't believe she'd forgotten. "I'm sorry, did my tickling hurt?"

"Not at all, Mama."

"Do you want some medicine?"

"No thank you, I feel fine." He pulled back. "It's almost bed time and I haven't finished my homework."

"Oh, well you should get to it! I'll put the girls to bed well you do that." Masaki lifted him off her lap. Yuzu had been playing with her bunny at the bottom of the stairs; she began whing about going to bed.

Ichigo stopped next to her; he picked up her bunny and held it out at arms length before him. He stared deep into its beady, black eyes and nodded twice. "Yes, I see. Mmhhmm, I'll tell her. Yuzu, Bwunny says she's really tired. She can't wait to get up in the morning to be able to play some more but right now I think she's falling asleep in my hands."

"Weawy? I didn't know you could tawk to Bwunny! Dat is awesome!" Yuzu shouted. She hugged him and danced over to Masaki. She leaned forward and her voice dropped. "He weally is a supaa hewow."

"Hey, wait up!" Isshin hollered, entering from the clinic. "Ichigo, can we talk?"

The little boy was unsure, torn. He looked at his mother for help. He couldn't outright object because it was disrespectful but in his opinion he'd wasted a large chunk of his homework time playing with his mother.

"Oh, can you do it in the morning?" Masaki asked Isshin. "It's my fault for keeping him so long. He still needs to do his homework."

"I don't want to compromise his grades. In the morning then, Ichigo." Isshin laughed. After their son left Masaki smiled sweetly.

"Thank you, I know this is important but you'll have time tomorrow."

"Yeah, I think I procrastinated a little too much. Ugh, I shouldn't be so nervous."

"You'll see." Masaki picked Yuzu up. "After you start the words will come naturally. I think when we're all on the same terms it will be easier for everyone. No more mysteries. We can discus these matters openly with him... I don't know why but I'm starting to think this might do our family some good."

"Good? How can this be good?" Isshin followed her up the stairs.

"Hopefully that means you're no longer hiding things from me." Masaki glanced back suspiciously.

"Of course not."

"Otherwise I have no clue. Maybe I'm just being hopeful." They reached the girls room. Masaki set Yuzu on the floor and sent her and Karin, who'd been playing on her bed, to brush their teeth.

"Good night, Yuzu! Good night, Karin!" Isshin called. He lightly grabbed Masaki and smiled at her. "Hope is a good thing."

With the last word the eldest resident of the Kurosaki household went to the bedroom he and his wife shared. He collapsed on top of the covers. _Who knew things would turn out like this? I don't know if I like this or not but when it comes down to the very first knot on the rope I was the one who tied it. Ichigo is too young! How could I make my son live a life running from monsters?_ He was so wrapped up that he didn't notice his wife enter the room and sit next to him.

"What are you thinking about?" She asked.

"Masaki! That was fast. I was just thinking about how beautiful you are." He replied with a twinkle of affection in his eye.

"Isshin... I can't stop thinking about it." Masaki sighed. "About _that_ Ichigo."

"_That_?"

"From the book. They're the same person but it feels like they're two different people. I find myself wishing that he would come back then I realize that I'm choosing a stranger over my own son. It's crazy, I want him to get his memories back, I think he deserves it. Yet, if he did, I'd lose my sweet baby, the Ichigo I remember."

"It would be more dangerous for him to remember. Especially being so used to fighting like that. It would be hard to keep him out of trouble. You said yourself he'd been and still is too young for that. What's with the sudden change of heart?" Isshin sat up.

"I guess I don't entirely agree with myself. You weren't there that morning, his last morning. He was so upset that he was going to forget. He was freaking out! I didn't do anything to help him. I couldn't save him. He just forgot but it's like he died. He died so that I could live." Masaki shook as she vented her feelings to Isshin.

"I'm sorry, Masaki, dear. I don't know what to say." He apologized; he grabbed a framed picture off the bedside table. It was a family portrait. Taken a little over a year ago, the twins had been three and Ichigo had been eight. Everyone was happy in such an innocent scene. He handed it to Masaki. "We can't change it. If you really want to do something for him all we can really do is make sure he has a happy life."

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

The space distorted, stretching open until a large hole opened in the air. The long-clawed Adjuchas climbed out. Its pointed claws balanced it on top a telephone pole. The World of the Living.

"Find me if you can, Shinigami." He cackled. "I will have my prey."

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

_I had no idea what had just happened. From the pain in my chest it felt like I had just been stabbed. That man had been simply watching from all the way over there yet now he stood by my side. "You are slow, even when you are falling."_

_I heard Rukia scream his name in objection before I felt the blade once again slip through my chest. I crashed onto the asphalt; put on top everything else I hardly felt the impact. _

_It hurt. The others were talking, saying I was gone. I felt furious. Byakuya stepped so that he was standing right in front of me. I tried to reach for his leg, my hand was shaking and stiff. Finally I caught onto his hakama. "'He's already dead'... 'he resembles that man'... Don't be moving the conversation ahead without me." It was hard to talk but I managed._

_I heard the cold tone of Byakuya's voice but I couldn't comprehend his words._

_"I can't hear you." I complained. "Look at me when you speak."_

_He looked at me over his shoulder. "I see you don't want that arm of yours." That time I heard him. Even though I was on the ground I wasn't afraid. I would not let them take her. Before I could respond, most likely with another arrogant statement, Rukia ran up and kicked my arm._

_It surprised me even more when she looked down at me and said. "Filthy human, how dare you touch Nii-sama's leg! Know your place, _kozou_!" She kneeled beside her brother. "Let's go, Nii-sama. The actions this human just took have opened my eyes. I, Kuchiki Rukia, will return to the Soul Society and humbly atone for my sins."_

_"Wait... What are you saying!? Rukia, dammit!" I demanded, confused. _

_Renji stepped on my back, the extra weight felt like it was crushing my already heavy body into the ground. I could hear his voice but I barely understood what he was saying. Rukia stood up. "I doubt we have to trouble ourselves with dealing him a final blow. Leave him there and he will die soon enough. Let's get going, Nii-sama."_

_She started to walk away. I was losing her and I freaked out. Not again, I wouldn't let it happen again._

_"Wait, Rukia!" I shouted after her, I strained to push myself up. "What kind of joke is this?! Hey! Look at me!"_

_"Don't move!" She yelled, when she turned around she was crying. "Don't you dare move! If you even try to come after me... I will never forgive you! You're going to die so just lay there and live as long as you can."_

_Her brother agreed not to finish me off. The three of them returned to the Soul Society. Watching them go felt like it took forever; I couldn't speak and I couldn't move. I could do nothing to stop her from leaving, she gave up her life just so I could live a few more minutes. She had protected me, just like Mama had. That was a day I never thought I'd forget._

Rukia was rereading the major parts of the story that contained herself. She was trying to... get a better grasp on it. _The story is in his point of view, but I wish I knew how I felt and what I thought about all of this._

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

That morning the sweet air brought about the scent of change, but it was change that no one expected. After the usual Kurosaki breakfast Isshin decided he would walk his son to school so that they could have their 'discussion'.

"I'll be right back, if my 8:15 shows up before I get back see if she'll wait, if not please set a new appointment free of charge. If there's an emergency call my cell." Isshin told Masaki as he waited for Ichigo to get on his shoes.

"Alright, good luck. Just go with the flow." She whispered, smoothing out the wrinkles on the front of Isshin's shirt.

"Are you ready, Dad?" Ichigo asked, excitedly pulling on his hand.

"Okay, let's go. Bye Honey! Bye girls!" He waved.

Ichigo quickly hugged his mother. "Bye-bye, Mama! Yuzu! Karin!"

His step seemed to have a hop and a skip to it. A permanent grin seemed to be plastered on his face.

"What're you so happy about?" Isshin laughed. Ichigo turned around so he was walking backwards.

"I think today's going to be a good day!" He stumbled backwards but quickly righted himself.

"Really? How so?"

"Well... for one I haven't walked with you since I was little." Ichigo leaned forward with an extremely serious look. "Don't get me wrong. I'm not complaining about walking by myself or with Mama. You said you wanted to talk?"

"Yes, I did." Isshin took a deep breath. His nerves seemed wracked. "I wanted to ask you something."

"What is it, Dad? We're almost there. If you don't tell me we won't have time."

"First; I wanted to know if you'd come straight home after school. I'll check your head, I'll probably be able to remove the stitches, and I wanted to finish this conversation since we probably won't have time to." Father and son stopped before the entrance of the school. Isshin turned his son outward, away from the school; he bent down and softly whispered in his ear. "I want you to tell me what you see."

"The road, people, buildings..." Listed Ichigo nonchalantly.

Isshin grip on his shoulders tightened. "How 'bout you tell me more about the people."

It took him a second, his eyes catching on to every character in the moving mass; unformed students, passerby's. Then it snapped, his vision caught the glint of metal. Ichigo forced himself out of his father's hands so that he could face him. "T-The people with chains, can you see them?!"

The energy between them was so intense and silence that followed so thick the world seemed to have gone monochromatic. Each stared intently at the other as the school's warning bell wrang. _Dii-dong, dii-dong_, it eerily resembled that of a church bells.

"C'mon, you're going to be late." They heard Tatsuki shout, she'd been waiting for Ichigo at the door.

"After school." Isshin stated with a smile.

Ichigo didn't respond, he followed after Tatsuki without a glance back. _What was that? H-how does he know something like that?! Can he see? Or... I forgot he read the book! No...no...no... Does Mama know too? How much do they know?! What does this mean? Darn it, I pretty much just told them it was true. I thought he was saying he could also see...he just wanted proof! They'll never understand, even if I told them, the difference between what I see and they see is like two separate worlds._

"Hey, what was that with your father?" Tatsuki asked, hanging by his side through the hallway.

"It was nothing." He lied; by the way he sounded it was evident that he was shaken up.

_He's lying._ Tatsuki thought. _I don't think his parents are like that. What could his father have said or done that would cause him to act like this? _"Are you okay?"

"Of course."

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

"So, how'd it go?" Masaki asked excitedly.

Isshin shrugged. "Think it went fine, I might've scared him a little."

"Why? How so?" She pulled out a chair for him to have a seat at the table.

"Well, I knew we wouldn't have time to go over everything. We had as long as we wanted to think about what we wanted to ask him so I thought we should let him formulate his own questions. So I told what it was we wanted to talk about. He was so shocked... he almost seemed scared."

"Why would he be scared?" Although her question was intended to be rhetorical, he answered.

"Maybe it's something he didn't want us to know."

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Tatsuki approached from behind the strange being that was her best friend. He was someone that held mystery, someone she didn't think she ever would fully understand. It was as if he was so selfless that he was selfish. Up where they stood the light breeze softly tickled her skin. The clouds were but wisps in the sky, lighted by the burning sun.

Ichigo was ignorant to her presence, his fingers lightly caught on one of the many metal diamonds that made up the linked fence. Eyes were held gently gazing down, a crushed green carton in his hand. _How much do they know? If I hadn't reacted like that... but is it bad that they know?_

"You drank your juice." She said, causing him to jump. "What's with the break in tradition?"

"Tatsuki! I'm not hanging around after school so I thought I might as well. What are you doing up here?" He asked, taking a seat on the ground.

"Looking for you. Why are you up here? Skipping lunch?" Tatsuki stayed standing.

"Sorta, just admiring the ground from a higher angle." He laced his fingers and laid down.

"Is now okay to ask you?"

"Ask me what?"

"About what you told me yesterday..."

"Sure, have at it. Might as well."

"If it doesn't bother you to answer. Your friend that died, who gave you the book about the monsters, what was his name?" She sat beside him, facing outward so that her lower back was against the side of his stomach.

"I don't know, never told me." From starring up his eyes began to burn so he shut them.

"What was he like?" Tatsuki asked softly, understanding something like this was a touchy subject.

"He was arrogant, stubborn, an idiot at times yet he was smart. He never was a very happy person but he was very kind and very protective. The worst procrastinator I've ever known." Ichigo laughed.

"Were you close?"

"That's a hard one... both very and not at all."

"What kind of a relationship is that? How..."

"We never met face to face."

Tatsuki looked at him, making sure he was being serious. "That's strange."

"More so then you would ever know." He murmured.

"And one of those monsters is what attacked us? What did it look like? What happened?" She asked.

"The hollow? Well, it was sorta like the sky was tearing. It came through, it was big and gray... it had a mask on... its teeth were sharp...it kept howling..." He shivered. "I was frightened. Then I was off the ground and my head hurt...I saw Tatsuki running towards me from across the street. The hollow howled and then it...it..."

Tatsuki grabbed his arm so that he understood she didn't want him to try to finish. She could feel him shaking from the memory.

"I'm sorry, Tatsuki got hurt too. The hollow was after me..."

"Stop it." Tatsuki said sternly. "Don't you dare apologize for any of it! That's so stupid! Get it through your head; it's not your fault. Compared to you I don't think it's even far to say I got hurt!"

"Sorry."

"But why was it after you?"

"People like me; people who can see them have a certain energy that makes them particularly tasty." He muttered with a groan.

"Are you okay?" Tatsuki asked once again. "What was it that happened this morning? You've seemed upset about it all day."

Ichigo sat up with a sigh. "My parents found out."

"They know." Tatsuki gasped. "How much?"

"I don't know."

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Rukia waited, leaning against the tan colored brick held together by a paler mortar that formed one of the two eight foot towers. Boys and girls walked by her without paying her any attention. _I can feel it. That energy is really coming from that boy? I never really paid attention to his reiatsu but it's...stifling._

Ichigo was but a few steps out the big doors when he noticed her. For the first time since that morning he cracked a smile, his eyes filled with glee. "You came to pick me up!"

"Yeah, yeah. Keep a tight hold on those reigns; I don't need you hopping around like a frog. I didn't have anything else to do right now so I figured." Rukia acted annoyed at the little child following behind her like a puppy.

"So, Kuchiki, how'd the book check out for you?" He asked, tailing after her.

"I'm not saying I believe any of it but your reiatsu fits so for now I'll play your little game." Rukia told him.

"Yay!" Ichigo cheered. "He's really amazing, isn't he?"

"Sure..."

"What's the matter, you don't think so?"

"No, he's awesome." Rukia said so simply with hope of satisfying him. _I don't know what I think about the hollow thing. _Rukia looked down at him as another wave of energy was expelled, rippling the air around them. _How is he always leaking with reiatsu? Someday he's going to run out or his pipes are going to break. _Then the device sounded; _Beep! Beep! Beep!_

"Darn, I have to go." Rukia cursed. "It's a hollow. If you wanna wait at the park I could catch up in a minute."

"I can't, not today, I've gotta go home."

"If you want to wait I'll walk you home." She offered.

He bowed. "Thank you, but no thank you. I'll be fine! You can hold onto the book until tomorrow, alright?"

"Sure, thanks, bye!" Rukia waved, her other hand already grasping the hilt of her zanpaktou.

"Thanks for picking me up! Bye-bye!" The two separated ways. _That was nice of her._ Ichigo thought, finally feeling less nervous about his upcoming 'chat'. He was walking along his way then he halted. A section on the corner that used to be just grass seemed to have been worked on by landscapers. One of the plants, which were particularly beautiful, was a rosebush. He leaned down and gently plucked one, being careful for the thorns. _Mama'll love it._ He smiled. But it was then that he realized that something was standing behind him. A scream filled the air as several dark red petals fluttered down to where the flower now lay on the ground.

**The End**


	7. The Seraph and the Sepulcher

**Chapter 7; The Seraph and the Sepulcher**

_"Horou! Horou! Horou!" Screamed the little device, its eyes flashing as it vibrated. Ichigo pursued his lips, unpleased. On cue the four nakama stood, already stiff with tensity since it had entered December. _

_"I'm feeling really sick!" Orihime complained, running to the door. "I'm going to the nurse!"_

_"We are too! We're gonna go with her!" The boys shouted for lack of a better excuse as they chased after her._

_Ms. Ochita caught Ichigo by the collar of his shirt. "Not this time, Kurosaki."_

_He turned around to reason with her but the sight outside the window caught his attention; hundreds of hollows in the sky._

_"I don't have time for this. Please take care of it." Ichigo requested, pressing the device into the center of his chest. His soul was left standing as his body slumped back into the teachers arms. The class gasped._

_"Don't go out there!" Tatsuki shouted, standing abruptly. "There are too many of them. You can't take them all at once!"_

_"I told you not to concern yourself with me." Ichigo barked rather darkly. He had no patience, no time to deal with this right now. He hadn't talked with Tatsuki at all since he'd returned from Hueco Mundo. Orihime probably spilled some of the beans, but that was inevitable. "If you want to help wait until the amount of hollows die down then get as many people you can to leave town."_

_"Since when did exterminating those monsters become your responsibility?!"_

_"I don't have time for this!" He called back to her as he left. The majority of the class was staring at her as if she were insane._

_"Somebody call 911!" Ms. Ochita screamed, laying Ichigo's body on the ground. A handful of students rushed to aid her._

_"Man, what was that? Kurosaki just fainted?" Muttered one of the boys._

_Keigo looked at the boy curiously. "You really didn't see that? Ichigo, he just..." Keigo turned back to the door. _He's at it again. But he'll come back, right? He always does...

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

_"Was that a good idea?" Ishida asked._

_"What was I suppose to do?" Ichigo had a tone to his voice that was a mixture between annoyance and whining at being accused._

_"You should be more discreet. Use the janitor's closet or something, not a room full of people." He continued to scold._

_"What am I, Superman? I'm a Shinigami-"_

_"Representative."_

_"Thanks, Ishida, that means a lot. I'm a Representative Shinigami and frankly I don't have time to be discreet. When you see outside you'll understan." Ichigo responded angrily._

_"_Frankly_ I don't need a window to tell what's going on outside, because I can sense the hollow's reiatsu." Ishida teased._

_"Hey, you shouldn't give Kurosaki-kun such a hard time. You usually know better than to argue with him." Orihime cut in, as the group hurried down the hall._

_"I'm being logical. He can't fight if he gets too tense, so I was trying to figure out what we could do about it. Rukia usually knows what to do and that seems to be to argue with or otherwise scold him. But I can't tell if it's working..."_

_"Yes, he's a sucker for the tough love speeches." Chad agreed with a nod._

_"Would you guys shut up?!" Ichigo growled, his face red. The others couldn't help but laugh. Sadly the fun ended as soon as their feet landed on the ground outside. They only had a second to take in the sight._

_"There's four of us, four directions on a compass; let's split up." Ishida suggested. _

_"I'll take north, towards the center of town." Ichigo claimed._

_"Alright, I'm going west; let's meet up at the river after we get 'em all." Ishida said._

_"I want east! Please?" Orihime pleaded._

_"Are you sure Tsubaki can handle this many at once?" Ishida asked. "Maybe Kurosaki should go Northwest, Chad South, and Orihime will come Northeast with me."_

_"I've gotten better; Tsubaki's been doing just fine." Orihime was afraid of being a fifth wheel and just being in the way._

_"No, Inoue, I think you should listen. Tsubaki isn't fit for mass destruction and if something happened to you we'd all die. You're the only one of us who can heal." Ichigo told her with a gentle smile._

If Kurosaki-kun says so, I guess I can't argue. _Orihime agreed._

_"We should go." Said the tall, darker-skinned Chad._

_They stacked hands, silently wishing Renji were around to give them a chant._

_"If anything stronger then a Gilian comes through we regroup. Like Ishida said, let's meet by the river, after you clear your section. Then we'll go out for burgers, my treat." His three friends smiled at him sadly before they broke off and went their separate ways. If it was what it appeared to be, then much more horrid things were awaiting them. Each couldn't help but wander if they would actually be able to do something so minial. But he'd given each of them a hope, an image to try to fulfill and work towards._

_Progressing down the street was slow but he made it out of the domestic territory and into a patch of taller business structures and office buildings. His movement was almost like a dance; slash, step, turn, he moved his right hand to the very tip of the hilt in order to angle the force so it crosssected his body and ran through the mask of a hollow who was trying to sneak up behind him. Ichigo pulled his sword back, its magnificent blade was stained red by the blood of many hollows._

_He would choose ten, dull beasts any day compared to a skilled fighter like Byakuya Kuchiki. Oh, yes, he could take on ten at the same time at his current state. The problem was they just kept coming._

_His reiatsu seemed to be attracting the hollows to him like bees to honey. The instinctual creatures would risk anything to have a taste of his soul. Ichigo was doing his best to fend them off, where Kadoburii street met Gaiko, every time he looked down one street it seemed more congested then it had been. The disgusting things began crawling down the sides of the buildings._

_In one unfortunate swoop the defender became the victim. Ichigo ducked under a set of claws, he took the opening; he lunged forward and slashed through its torso. Without hesitation he drove the full length of the blade through the mask of a bear resembling hollow to his left. A second hollow jumped right through its disintegrating body and tore at him with a hungry grin. He knew he was completely surrounded; he didn't even have time to release his bankai._

_Ichigo stopped the hollow's head with his zanpaktou but it was so shallow it didn't even crack the mask. He pushed the beast off but it didn't back up. Instead, without warning its head shot forward, the hollow's teeth chomped down on his upper arm._

_Ichigo's entire left arm was inside the hollow's mouth. He tried to pull it out but the hollow only bit harder, determined no to let him go. At such a range he could hardly angle his zanpaktou to get a decent cut on it. He slipped Zangetsu between them and pushed it into the hollow's mask with no swinging force at all. The blade slipped about half-an-inch into the boney white but his action wasn't met without recoil. The hollow chomped down, its dull teeth sinking into his flesh._

_Its mouth began to pool with drool as it got its first tastes of the shinigami's blood. Ichigo groaned as the pangs hit hard. He pushed Zangetsu harder but it only caused the hollow to bite harder._

_A smaller hollow jumped onto his back. It sniffed around for a moment before chomping down on his right shoulder._

_Panic set in. He was seriously about to be devoured by hollows. They didn't even want him dead first, they'd just eat him up nice and fresh. Ichigo had to make a quick decision. _It's me or my arm._ He pushed as hard as he could he could into the hollow's mask._

_"Damn it!" He bellowed as its teeth sank completely through the tissue and began cracking at the bone. At last Zangetsu slid through and the hollow slowly dissolved. As the pressure was released the blood began to roll down from his now mangled upper arm._

_Ichigo stumbled back, almost falling over from the weight of the one on his back. He took a single breath before jamming the tip of his zanpaktou up into its jaw._

_"You stupid hollows...you're not gonna pull one over on me." He panted. "Like I'd lose to you..."_

_His shihakushou stuck to his skin from the sticky mixture of sweat and blood. _That was a mistake. I can't really lose to these garden hollows. Not me. This is just the beginning.

_Shadows around him grew. The hollows who'd been clinging to the sides of the building hurled themselves at him. For several frightening, long seconds Ichigo disappeared beneath the heaving mass of monsters._

_The hollows were thrown back in an explosion of blue reiatsu. Ichigo was standing in the clearing, a handful of abrasions and scratches visible on his features. His torso was hunched, his shoulders heaving with each breath as he glowered at the surrounding creatures._

_His amber irises were swirling with a cool blue. As soon as one tried to move towards him they were all hit hard by a wave of reiatsu. The pressure was so strong they were pressed onto the ground. Another wave rolled over them, stunning_ _the ones who'd tried to crawl over their comrade's bodies. The pressure intensed, the hollows broke away into spirit particles. Again and again, wave after wave of reiatsu was emitted from the shinigami. It splashed down the streets like water, crushing them into them in to obliteration._

_Slowly, being pulled more from the core of his soul, the reiatsu was becoming black. So that the hollows realized two things before they were destroyed; that he was a force to be reckoned with, and in truth he was one of them._

_xXXxXXxXXxXx_

_"Tsubaki! Koten Zanshuun, I reject!" Orihime shouted, extending her arms. Tsubaki jetted forward, slicing through the large tiki-mantis creature._

_"Wow, is that Kurosaki-kun?" She asked, looking over her shoulder._

_The Quincy fired eight successive arrows before lowering his bow. "Jeez. What does he think he's doing?"_

_"Maybe he's in trouble. Should we check on him?" Her voice showed apparent worry._

_"That idiots just pouring it all out. If he's going to use that much energy he might as well use his Bankai, but he probably has some kind of plan. We can worry about him if his reiatsu disappears, alright? I'm sure he is fine, Kurosaki's just being... Kurosaki." Ishida coaxed, his voice as soothing as he could manage. "About Kurosaki though. I don't suppose you know why his reiatsu feels like this? What I mean is he's changed since when he became a shinigami. Slowly, it feels eerie and darker. I wonder if something happened to make it that way... Do you know anything about it?"_

_Orihime's eyes averted his, taking a little too much interest in her shoes._

_"What is it?" Ishida urged._

_She didn't know if she should tell him. But she was in quiet a pickle now and she wasn't a very good liar. It was such a miraculous event yet she'd been too afraid to ask him about it. She was too afraid to even mention it. _No! _She shook her head. _I can't be afraid. How would Kurosaki-kun feel if he knew I was too afraid of him to speak? _"Maybe... back in Hueco Mundo... when we were all separate I was with Kurosaki-kun and Nel...Kurosaki-kun...he...he..."_

_She trembled at the memory. Ishida's assumption flipped upon the analysis of her actions. His face distorted in a combination of horror and disgust. "What happened? What did he do? He didn't hurt you did he?"_

_"No, no. Of course not. It was a mask."_

_"A...mask? He put on a mask?"_

_"A hollows mask, and his eyes were... I was afraid at first but I realized he was doing it to protect me."_

_Ishida could only stare at her, eyes popping in disbelief._

_xXxXXxXXxXXxXx_

_"Ka-Tsu!" Ichigo shouted in triumph. Despite his exaggerated, arrogant grin he was breathless and wobbly. "Kurosaki Ichigo, Shinigami Representative, and the one who just took out sixty of you damn hollows without even lifting a finger."_

_Now the streets were empty with the exception of the occasional sprinkle of spirit particles and some stranded, black remnants of reiatsu. Inward he frowned at the technique. If he could do that to hollows then what about other shinigami? Human souls? His power was expanding to the point that his spirit pressure was becoming deadly._

That should be the most of it, for my part. _He randomly selected a direction, down which he hobbled warily. He felt... empty inside save for the low slush of reiatsu he'd clung to for the sake of living. Hopefully no random passerby's were in close enough range to be killed as well. If his pressure was even strong enough to kill a human, which was a doubt he desperately clung to._

_"Ichigo! Hey!"_

_He turned around, surprised when Tatsuki nearly barreled into him. "What are you doing here? I told you to stay put."_

_"Since when am I obligated to follow every word you pour out of that big mouth of yours? I saw what you did-" Tatsuki was spurting when he absently cut her off._

_"You were close enough to see that? Guess there's hope for humanity after all." _

_"Ichigo, stop walking! You're bleeding!" She gasped in horror._

_He surveyed his blood covered arm. "Oh no. Looks like I sprung a leak again...I'll have to get that fixed."_

_"I don't know what's scarier; the fact that your arm looks like it's about to fall off or that you're trying to be funny." She mumbled haughtily, chasing after him. "Stop. Stop. Stop! Where are you going?"_

_As they turned down another street he glanced up at the signs. "Down Mikan."_

_"Would you stop it, you know what I'm talking about so drop the sarcasm! It's like your still ignoring me! You've been back for almost a week and you haven't said a thing! I followed you because when you left...I thought that maybe you wouldn't come back. I couldn't let you just leave again! Why can't you tell me where you're going? Why do you keep disappearing without even a word?!" Tatsuki cried._

_"It's none of your business." Ichigo replied shortly._

_Her fists pounded angrily on his back. "I saw you leave! You said you would apologize when you came back home!"_

_"But I can't be Tatsuki's friend again." He shouted in protest. "Not until this is over! You're an idiot for not listening to me. If you can see them that means those monsters will try to eat you too! Then what, Tatsuki?! Then what am I supposed to do? Why must you make it so difficult for me to protect you?!"_

_"Who asked you to protect me? I never asked you to save me from any of it!" _

_"You friggin' idiot! You have absolutely no idea about what you're saying. If you have no clue about what's going on then keep your mouth shut! What I'm trying to protect you from? This is what I'm trying to protect you from." He gestured to himself. "Yes, Tatsuki, yes. I am bleeding!" He grabbed his upper arm with his right arm and then held his blood covered palm out to her. "Do you know how much freakin' blood I've lost in the last few months?! I can survive this kind of life style, I can take the damage, and I can take the lack of sleep, the worry, the stress. But Tatsuki, you couldn't go on like this. You can hardly even stomach all this blood, can you? Chad and Inoue are really good comrades but it's a mistake I hope I never make again. I will NOT let you cross this line!"_

_Tatsuki stared at him through teary-eyes. "When was it that you crossed that line? You weren't always like this... Ichigo... what happened to you?"_

_"I crossed that line long before you ever noticed."_

_"Stop this, please, come back." She begged._

_"I'm not coming back to that side." He told her. "I don't belong there anymore."_

_"Then when are you planning on apologizing? You promised, when it was over!"_

_"I'll apologize when _this _is over."_

_"You didn't ask for this! You didn't ask to fight monsters and get half-killed doing it! You don't have to give up everything for this."_

_"What do you know about me?! You don't know what _this_ even is! For the longest time, _this_ is all I ever wanted, and I have it now. Now I can protect people, I have the power to protect the ones the others can't even see. If you really want to do something for me, maybe right now the best thing would be for you to let go. If I don't come back to you then please, Tatsuki, promise me you'll let me go."_

_"How could I let you go?!" She shouted. He quickly grabbed her by the shirt and pulled her back, driving Zangetsu into the air she had just been as a hollow lurched forward. _

_"See. And you said you don't need protection." He scolded, as Tatsuki's wide, frightened eyes met his. "How did you get close enough, earlier, to see what I did?"_

_"W-well, ah... the monsters were so focused on you they didn't even see me. All of that blue and black stuff that filled up the streets was coming out of your body, why were you glowing like that?" _

_"It's hard to explain."_

_"Humor me."_

_He stopped. His amber orbs met her eyes with, at last, a grin. It seeped through his skin and, for a solid minute, his body was engulfed in icy blue flames, flickering at the surrounding air._

_"Whoa!" She gasped in astonishment. "You can do that at will? That's amazing!"_

_"It's not that big of a deal." He shrugged, realizing he shouldn't be so bodacious about it. Just about every shinigami could do something like that. In reality he was very poor in that area of skill. "Alright, Tatsuki, I humored you. Now can I ask something of you?"_

_"...sure." She agreed slowly._

_"After we reach the river, and make sure all of the hollows are gone, please go to my house. In the top drawer of my desk there's an old pocky box. Inside is some money and six passes for the bullet train. Give three to my dad the other three are for you and your parents. I don't care what you have to say just get them to Okinawa. Get out as soon as you can and get as many people as you can to go with you."_

_"What are you saying?"_

_"Just promise me you'll do it."_

_She felt infuriated yet scared. "Why? What's happening? What are you doing?"_

_"I'll tell you when it's over, okay? I'll tell you everything but right now I just need you to promise." He pleaded._

_"Fine, I promise." _

_"Hey, did Orihime say anything about what happened last week?" Ichigo asked out of curiosity. His good hand quickly grasped his left arm as the stinging increased._

_"Are you alright?! Maybe you should lay down or something!" Tatsuki shouted in alarm._

_"I'm fine, I'm fine. I've had worse, I'm not gonna die. Orihime?"_

_Tatsuki gawked skeptically._

_"Tatsuki? What did Orihime say?" He asked again._

_She couldn't help but stay stuck on the fact that he was injured. Her friend was no longer the fragile child he'd been through the earlier years of their childhood. She tried to study him, looking for hints to what he might be thinking or feeling. _Why is he being so sarcastic? If he was trying so hard to cut the lines with me then why is he talking to me now? _She came to no conclusions and thus gave into his question. "Just something about a castle and a knight in shining armor coming to rescue her."_

_Tatsuki noticed the tinge of red on his cheeks. "Is that so?"_

_It was probably the simplest version, the most light-hearted. Ichigo refrained from making any revisions knowing that the actual story was a lot darker than a simple fairy tale. _

_"You know, you've always been her knight in shining armor." Tatsuki hesitantly stated._

_"Is that so?" He repeated, keeping his eyes on the path ahead. There was awkward silence that lasted until he said. "We're here."_

_"Tatsuki-chan!" Orihime shouted with a mile-wide smile as they emerged. The others were already waiting on the grass by the river._

_"Man, Kurosaki, looks like those hollows chewed you up and spit you out!" Ishida hollered._

_"Shut up!" He growled, seeing that his friends were completely unscathed. "You can just stand there and fire your pretty blue arrows! My only long range attack is Getsuga Tenshou and if I fire those willy-nilly the town'll be destroyed before Aizen even leaves Las Noches!"_

_"Maybe the Gotei 13 will teach you some kidou." Orihime suggested._

_"Too bad you can't use a cero." Ishida said in a nonchalant manner but there was a meaningful look in his eyes._

_"Why is Tatsuki here?" Orihime asked._

_"I followed him." Tatsuki replied with a light laugh._

_"I couldn't send her back with all these hollows around." Ichigo defended._

_No one else there thought it strange but Tatsuki was surprised that, as they came to the bottom of the hill, Orihime strode up to Ichigo. He made no move of objection as she gently grasped his injured arm. The wound was hard to view through the mess of fabric and blood._

_"May I?" She requested, pulling lightly on his sleeve. She wanted to roll it up to look._

_"I got hurt on my shoulder too. I'll do it, Inoue." Again Tatsuki was the only one who was surprised when he carefully slipped his arms out of the top of his shihakushou and folded it over his oobi belt. Orihime took a bottle of water out of the tan bag she had slung over her shoulder. She carefully poured it over his arm, washing away the blood. His arm had two semi-circle gaps on either side._

_"Those are teeth marks!" Ishida exclaimed, he'd been watching Orihime's progression. "They really did chew you up and spit you out!"_

_"Be quiet." Ichigo muttered. "I made a mistake, it wont happen again."_

_"Souten Kisshun! I reject!" Orihime gave him an encouraging smile as the orange barrier surrounded his arm. She moved to his other side to inspect his shoulder._

_"What are you doing?" Tatsuki asked. "What's this for?"_

_"She's healing him." Chad answered. It was the first time he'd said anything since they'd arrived._

_Tatsuki wanted to watch the procedure but the now exposed bloody flesh made her cringe away. "You can really heal something like this?"_

_"I've seen worse. Kurosaki-kun can be really reckless sometimes." Orihime shook her head in disapproval._

_There is was again. Worse. He'd said it. She'd said it. "Then what is the worst you've seen?"_

_Their group was silenced by the question, nobody wanted to answer. She would've pestered them about it till they answered if in that moment their Representative Shinigami hadn't released a stream of curses._

_"Maybe you should just bandage me up."_

_"Kurosaki-kun..." Orihime followed his gaze to the sky._

_There was a large black crack extended across the sky. Surrounding it the sky was once again covered with hollows. Before either could speak several fuming missiles rammed into the lowest group, exploding them. A wide, white carpet came fluttering over the river. On it were the group of Urahara's workers with Mr. Hat in Clogs himself perched right up front._

_"Finish up! We'll hold them off for now. We don't want one of our best fighters out so early in the game!" Urahara shouted down to them from the same carpet they'd all ridden after their adventures in the Soul Society._

_"Thanks, Urahara-san!" Orihime called, waving enthusiastically._

_"Guess this is it." Ichigo stated in a tone of solemnicy that his nakama's expressions reflected._

_"What is all _this_?" Tatsuki asked, agape._

_"A war."_

_It was the day then on known as Day Zero._

_xXxXXxXXxXXxXx_

Masaki stood over her husband. Isshin's head was laying atop his folded arms, his body hunched over his desk. "Isshin, dear, wake up!"

He stirred, his eyes opened to a blurred view of his bright clinic office. "My God, Masaki, your torso is protruding from the mattress!"

"Calm down, it's okay; you fell asleep at your desk." Masaki said, her voice surprisingly stern.

"What a weird dream..." Isshin mumbled, sitting up straight. His tired eyes moved to the door. Through the glass only darkness was visible. "What time is it?

"A little after eight."

"Man! I forgot about Ichigo. I was supposed to-"

"That's the thing." Masaki interrupted. "I thought maybe he was upset so I was trying to be lenient...but it's been dark for over an hour and he still hasn't come home."

"He still hasn't come home..." Isshin repeated.

"You can do that sensor thing, can't you? I want to be sure that he's alright, I'm getting worried." Masaki asked.

Isshin blinked, his minds gears were still a bit sticky from having just woken up. _Where... where... where..._ It was as if his body forgot to work because suddenly his heart and lungs hurt, his stomach felt twisted and sick. _He's gone? He can't be! But I can't find his reiatsu! _He abruptly stood up. "As a matter of fact, I'll go get him."

"Alright..." Before Masaki could get another word out he was out the door. He didn't even take off his long, white doctor coat.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

The rain had started pouring down from the sky, watering everything it could touch. The doctor's shoes made low splashes every time they hit the sidewalk. It was raining so hard that there was a little layer of water, like a huge puddle, on the ground.

Isshin was walking from his son's school, for the first time ever he was thanking the heavens that his son had a 'leakage problem'. It was so far his usual path straight home. With every step his guts twisted and turned in some obscure fashion. _He was going straight home, just like I asked him to. _

Isshin came to the end of the street, the dimming street light flickered with a low buzz. Laying now muddled and wet from the rain, beneath this light, there was a rose. He gently lifted it out of the water and twirled its stem, but it marked the end of the trail. _No!_

His hand trembled, shaking so badly that he could no longer hold onto the rose. It dropped back into the watery street as Isshin dropped to his knees. He was already soaked to the bone, shivering and shaking. "No...this can't be happening..."

"He can't be gone!" He bellowed up to the dark gray clouds. "He can't!"

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Without knocking or even hollering some greeting Isshin marched right through the small candy shop up to the inside entrance. He practically slammed the doors open, not caring to close them behind him. The main room was empty.

When he went back into the hall Yoruichi and Urahara were rushing towards him to see who was causing all the ruckus.

"...Isshin?" She asked, she was standing several feet in front of the shop keeper. "You're drenched! What happened?"

Isshin tried to catch his breath. "He's gone! My son is gone!"

Yoruichi shot a suspicious look back at Urahara. He raised his hands in defense. "It wasn't me!"

Yoruichi placed her hand on his soggy shoulder. "It's okay, we'll-"

"No, it's not okay!" He yelled, hysteria entering his voice. He threw the wet rose to their feet. "His reiatsu is gone! The path was a dead end! I couldn't find him! It was my fault! If I hadn't... if I hadn't fallen asleep then I might've been able to stop it! Don't tell me it's okay because it's not! Don't tell me it will be alright when you're not the one who has to go home and tell his mother that he's either been abducted or he's dead! How am I suppose to tell Masaki?!"

"Hey, hey. We'll find him." Yoruichi tried to coax. Unfortunately it wasn't something she was very good at. "C'mon, let's sit down."

They directed the wet doctor back into the main room, sat him down in front of the round kotatsu, and gave him a blanket and a cup of tea.

"You investigated. Do you have any theories?" Urahara asked curiously.

Isshin pulled on the blanket he had draped over his shoulders, the only thing it seemed to be accomplishing was getting the blanket wet. "If It was another human then he's far out of town, far enough that I can't even feel Ichigo's reiatsu. Maybe it was the Gotei 13, inspecting the sudden rise in spirit energy levels. Or... a hollow... Did you feel any new reiatsu today?"

"Sorry, no, nothing noticeable. But remember there are those in the Spirit World who are exceptionally skilled in masking their presence." Urahara pointed out. Although be the reminder otherwise useless, it was meant to help diminish his friend's guilt.

"We'll contact the Soul Society and see if we can't get any information. You focus on the human aspect." Yoruichi suggested.

"What about the hollow aspect?" Isshin asked reluctantly.

"Let us check off our other options first. If it was a hollow then we can't do anything about it. So for now let's go with the idea that it's not a hollow until were 100 percent sure that it wasn't anything else." Urahara agreed, their plan being to preserve hope as long as they could, until they found out his fate.

"Thank you, really, thank you." Isshin bowed his head.

"Not at all, not at all! Anything to help an old friend." Urahara laughed.

His eyes were blanketed with sadness. "You know what? I was waiting for him to come home. I was going to tell him that I was a shinigami. I was trying to make everything right..."

"But life isn't fair. Sometimes doing the right thing is a whole lot harder then we ever imagined." Yoruichi stated as she leaned forward to pour him more tea. "I promise, Kisuke and I will do everything in our power to help you find him."

Isshin thanked them again, dreading what was coming next. "I should head home..."

"Does Masaki know where you are?" Urahara asked.

"No, I left hours ago." Isshin shook his head in a dreary manner. "I told her I was going to get him; I never said anything about his reiatsu being gone."

"I'm sorry."

Isshin just bowed his head further.

"Alright you two, I'm going out. Good luck, Isshin. Stop bye if anything new comes up." Yoruichi waved as she walked out the door.

"I should leave too." Isshin stood up. "Bye, Kisuke."

"Take care of yourself."

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

The feline looked up in disgust at the clouds. Its beautiful coat was matted down. The street light above it blinked several times before going out completely. Dead end.

Its large, yellow eyes blinked as it meowed feebly in defeat. This rope extended no further.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

At first she thought perhaps they were talking but after it got past twelve she started to worry. He'd been gone for four hours. Surely he would've called or sent some sort of shinigami mental telepathy message. _Boys are boys, they don't always think of calling. _But every passing second brought about more dreadful thoughts.

Masaki was sitting at the table, staring at the door way. When finally, around 2:30, the door squeaked open. She jumped out of her seat. Isshin walked in, sullen and wet. The whole time she stared out the door behind him, expectantly, but he shut it behind himself.

"W-where's Ichigo?" She stammered, fear taking a stab at her guts.

"Masaki." Was all he replied with.

Silence. Long, dreadful silence.

"Where is he?" She demanded.

Isshin's head was hung. "I don't know."

"What do you mean? How can you not know?! You're Mr. Shinigami with your super sense and magical demon spells!" Her voice showed more disbelief then anger.

"It doesn't work like that. Since I woke up I haven't been able to feel his reiatsu."

"When you can't feel his reiatsu...it means...?"

"He's gone."

"What are you talking about...he's gone?" She laughed with hysteria.

"I'm sorry, Masaki. I'm so sorry." He apologized, slipping his shoes off. "When we say we can't feel someone's reiatsu it means we can no longer feel their presence. They have to be far away, or _somewhere else_, or...they're dead."

"No." Masaki gasped. "You're lying!"

"Well, Ichigo couldn't mask his presence if his life depended on it... so only three things could've happened."

"And whose fault is that?!" Masaki stung her husband in a sore spot.

Isshin was taken aback, wordless. Masaki bustled past the door, but he quickly grabbed her arm. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to find my son."

"You can't go out right now; it's pouring out there and it's late. You'll get sick, Masaki."

"I have to find him, Isshin!"

"He has been kidnapped! What do plan on finding?!"

"My son!"

"I know this is probably my fault! If it's because of his reiatsu... I understand. That's why I promise, we'll find him. We are going to find him..." He swore but Masaki still tugged anyway.

"I have to try." She pleaded. "How can I just take your word that I won't find anything? How can I not do a thing when you barge in here telling me he's gone?! He's my baby, Isshin; he's still just a little boy. If I raised him right then he knows that if anything ever happens I will never give up looking for him. As is a child's right, he's expecting me to save him! How can you just ask me to sit still?!"

"Please, just calm down, Masaki! He'll be alright. We'll find him. We'll find him." Isshin attempted to calm her down.

"I'm his mother!" She shrieked, tears bubbling as she ripped her hand out of his. "You're not understanding me! I'm his mother, I have to try!"

With that she ran out the door, Isshin hurried after her. "Stop, Masaki! Please at least get dressed properly! You don't even have shoes on!"

The rain had had already drenched the top half her lilac t-shirt and was running rivers down her skin. Masaki swirled around, shaking her head. "Not yet. Don't leave the girls alone. Eventually their going to ask about their brother, so make sure you know what you're going to tell them! Call in, make a police report. I'll come home when I find him."

"He is not somewhere you can find him, Masaki!" But she was already disappearing into the dark sheets of rain. "Masaki, please come back here! Masaki! Masaki! MA-SA-KI!"

His bellowing voice faded into a pleaing tone as he repeated her name one more time. "Masaki."

His reaching arms, his pleading arms found nothing to hold onto. His torso slumped in defeat as he stared after his beautiful wife.

**Chapter End**


	8. What We Are

**Chapter 8; What We Are**

"Help! Let me go! Let me go!" The child screamed, slung over the shoulder of his captor. His hand latched onto one of the blonde pigtails. He was lifted off by the back of his shirt and flung onto the ground.

"Brat! That hurt." Cried the young girl angrily.

Ichigo pushed himself up off the ground, his eyes leaking a steady flow of tears. The floor was cement. The place looked like an enormous, dark shed. The girl only appeared to be several years older than him; her short, blonde hair was in pigtails. Her red shirt had 'saru' written on the side.

"Hiyori!" An urgent sounding voice called as a strange man landed on the ground next to her. He stared at Ichigo with wide-eyes before turning to the girl with a look of heavy disapproval. "What did you do?"

"I just went to look since no one else would. When I found him I realized you guys had to see this for yourselves."

"So you brought him here?!"

Love swung down from the layer above them. "Whoa, did a puppy follow Hiyori home?"

"It's more like she saw someone else's little puppy and decided to bag it and drag it home." Shinji answered.

"You guys couldn't make a decision so there, it's done." Hiyori stated proudly.

Ichigo's eyes scanned the room; he spotted the small door they came through. While the strangers were arguing, the very strange strangers that they were, he slowly scooted towards the door. After he'd made it over far enough so that he wasn't right in the middle of them he stood up and made a break for it.

He only got about a foot of distance covered before Shinji grabbed him by the collar. "Man, this kid must be hollow bait, with that kind of reiatsu."

"Please, let me go. I don't know what you guys want with me. So please, just let me go home." Ichigo begged. He winced as Shinji pulled him back, expecting something harsher.

"Sorry, but I can't just let you stride out of here." He apologized. "Let's take him up top."

"Why?" Hiyori asked.

"So he won't keep trying to escape."

Ichigo struggled as best he could but Love easily carried him up. They went all the way up to the top layer of the large, stone shelves. Ichigo had heard plenty of stories about what happened to children who'd been kidnapped, and he was terrified. He kicked, he screamed, all in a feverish yet futile attempt to escape.

"He's just a little kid!" Lisa gaped, joining them.

"Can you go get Kensei and Hachigen, they're in the basement." Shinji asked.

Lisa looked over her shoulder at Mashiro. "You heard the man."

She pouted but obediently slinked away.

Love set Ichigo down gently in the corner. Instantly Ichigo scrambled as far back as he could. _What am I supposed to do?! _He was breaking down. _I fought back as hard as I could but I didn't faze him at all! _He broke into more tears.

"No way." Rose gasped. "He can't just be a human kid."

"He can be a shinigami." Love whispered. "In a gigai."

"He's too young to be a shinigami." Hiyori laughed.

"You're one to talk." Shinji pointed.

"Shut it, badly." She growled.

Kensei stalked over to where they had gathered. "You brought him here? How come?"

"Hiyori abducted him." Shinji answered.

"Can't you just put him back?" Rose asked.

"Why would we, now that we have him?" Love asked. "We can figure out who he is."

A howling was heard. It came from somewhere outside of the building, but the sound of the hollow still rang through. Ichigo's eyes snapped wide, he pressed the heels of his palms into his ears. From his lips escaped a shrill scream. The feeling returned from that day, the feeling that every bone in his body knew he was about to die.

"Whoa. He's frightened. Hiyori, try to calm him down." Shinji requested.

"What am I supposed to do, baldy?!"

"Lisa? You're a woman, use your maternal instinct."

She sent him a death glare. Shinji sighed and reluctantly took charge himself. He knelt down and patted the kids head. "There...there...it can't get you inside Uncle Hachi's barrier."

Ichigo looked up at Shinji through his watering eyes, still as frightened as hell.

"Can you tell me your name?"

"My name is Kurosaki...Kurosaki Ichigo..." He sniffed.

("What a cute name!" Mashiro squealed in the background.)

"Alright, Ichigo, how old are you?"

"I'm...I'mma nine...almost ten. On the fifteenth."

"Really? Any family? Where do you live?"

"I'm not gonna tell you something like that."

Shinji frowned. "Where are we suppose'ta take you if we decide to let you go?"

"Just let me out the door. I'll find my way home." Ichigo answered. His eyes moved along the mans blue and white stripped tie. This man didn't appear very old. He wore a long sleeved, button up shirt tucked into a pair of gray jeans. His blonde hair was straight, a few inches shorter than shoulder length, with bangs that came down to his eye brows. Although his appearance didn't really seem it there was something threatening about his piano tooth smile.

"You're not getting anywhere." Hiyori sighed.

"Well I got him to stop bawling, didn't I? You didn't even try. Yer the one who made him cry, you should at least apologize." Shinji shouted back at her.

"He can see us. Maybe it's an act." Kensei suggested.

Star-fro man adjusted his sunglasses." We could find out. All we need to do is take his soul out of his body."

Ichigo wasn't paying attention anymore, above the large, rolling door was small, slated, wooden window through which he had focused on the steadily fading light. _Mama's going to worry. I have to get away from this place. This place...this place. _He turned back to the group.

"Shinji, Hiyori, Kensei, Love, Lisa, Rose, Mashiro, and Hachigen." He recited from memory, eyes widening in awe. "You guys are the Vaizard!"

They looked at each other, then back at the boy, then again to their comrades with any amount of surprise, or confusion, or amusement. For him to know exactly who his captors were was one of the most stunning things yet.

"So what are you? A leech from the Soul Society? Trying to annihilate us?" Kensei questioned roughly.

"No." Ichigo rested his chin on his knees. "But I'm guessing why you kidnapped me...was because I was one too?"

"I told you! It's just a gigai." Love gloated.

Shinji stood up. "Mashiro, go get the glove."

"Why me?!"

"Because, we're all depending on you." Shinji stated so politely. "Alright, kid, then who are you really?"

"Kurosaki Ichigo, I'm nine years old. I'm a student at Karakura Elementary. I've lived in this town since I was born. I have a father and a mother, two little sisters. We all live at this small clinic about half a mile from the place the small one with pigtails abducted me from." Ichigo spurted.

"Why didn't you tell us that earlier?" Kensei asked suspiciously.

"Because now I know that if there is a threat, I'm the only one who'll be in danger." Ichigo was beginning to fill the threat dissipate. He knew these people had helped him in the past. So the danger might not be so strong. He even felt glad to meet them but his smile was oppressed by worry at the now dark night sky.

"So what are you?" Rose asked.

"The obvious answer to me would be a human, but if you're as talented as I've heard you are then perhaps you can tell somehow that I used to be a Vaizard. Something in my energy...my reiatsu? I'm sorry to disappoint you guys but I'm not who I used to be. So, please, I really have to get home."

"I found it!" Mashiro flipped through the air and spun around, waving a blue, fingerless glove.

"What are you going to do with that?!" Ichigo gasped, he was not 100 percent sure but he thought he knew what it might be.

"We are going to force your soul out of your body." Shinji smirked.

"I'm not a shinigami anymore, you can't do that!" Ichigo protested.

"Don't worry, if you're a human we wont break your chain, we'll just stuff ya back in." Love explained.

"'Kay, kid. Upsadaisy, let's get this over with." Shinji slipped the glove over his hand.

Ichigo stood hesitantly. He was afraid but he couldn't deny the curiosity he had felt since reading the book about how it would feel to have ones soul pushed from their body.

The spectators watched intensely, anxious and excited.

"No resistance?" Shinji grabbed the top of his head. "You want to do this?"

"I guess I sorta do." Ichigo replied, with as much of a nod as he could manage.

"Then here we go." He pushed. The moment he felt the force he tensed, his nerves straining at the idea that he'd just agreed to this. He couldn't breath. _Ba-bump! _The next thing he knew he was watching himself fall from a view of himself that he'd never seen so clearly before.

Glowing streaks of blue clung to both his soul and body, a futile attempt to keep them together. His body crumbled forward as he stumbled backwards and landed on his buttocks.

Silence; he stared at his body, laying face down on the ground before him. Without changing the direction of his gaze he reached up and placed his hand on the front of his chest. No chain.

Eyes darted down with a quick inhalation, instead finding black cloth. Instantly he scrounged up as much as he could into his hand, insuring that it was real.

"I still have my shinigami powers..." Ichigo muttered his voice hardly audible.

The Vaizard would've claimed him a liar if his utter shock wasn't so apparent. And, perhaps, the fact that the orange haired child in a shinigami uniform was the epitome of cute.

"How is this possible?" He laughed sadly, examining his attire. He checked the others expressions to make sure he wasn't now considered a threat.

Ichigo stood up. "This wasn't suppose to - waaah!"

He flailed his arms wildly before crashing flat on his face.

"Too heavy, too heavy!" He cried. Hachigen lifted the sword off his back and gently picked him up and set him back on his feet. Ichigo stared with thankful expression up at the large, older, pink-haired man. "Thanks. Sorry if this is rude, but which one are you again?"

"My name is Hachigen but you may call me Hachi." Hachigen replied in his wheezy voice.

"This is just like what happened in last week's Shonen Jump!" Love exclaimed. "You are what you say you aren't even though you are and you didn't even know it!"

"You're making assumptions again." Lisa spat. "You can't not know you're a shinigami!"

"That's an assumption too" Mashiro sang.

Kensei stepped forward. "I'll fight him."

"You'll kill him!" Shinji objected.

_Guuu. _The single second of silence in which it happened made the small noise seem louder. Ichigo turned a bright pink. _Darn stomach._

The Vaizard stared curiosly at him, deepening his shade of red.

"He's hungry." Mashiro stated the obvious.

"Not at all! No, nope! Not one bit!" He lied.

"It's getting late, let's eat!" Shinji said a little too joyously.

"I don't want to eat! I want to go home!" He shouted.

"I don't really like this, Shinji." Lisa whispered to him. "I don't believe him."

"Don't worry, if he's a threat he's not getting anywhere." He replied with a hint of mystery. "Take care of his body, Hachigen."

"Hai desu."

"No, Shinji! I have to go home! Please! Hachi, please don't take my body!" He pleaded as Hachigen scooped his body up in one arm and the large, bandaged zanpaktou in the other. The group of Vaizard depleted as each individual hopped off the edge, until only Hiyori and Ichigo remained.

He stared down tentatively, torn between following after them or staying by himself. _Would they kill me, if I became too much trouble?_ Hiyori, who'd most remained silent during the last half of the antics, motioned to the edge. "Just jump."

"I-I can't just jump!" He stuttered.

"Don't worry, it'll be fine." Hiyori patted him on the back three times before her hand went rigid and jutted into his back; pushing him right off. Ichigo let out a scream as he tumbled through the air. She rolled her eyes. "Your feet! Land on your feet!"

He did all he could to right himself..._fwaam! _There was a slight tingling sensation as the shock reverberated up his legs. With an expression of utter amazement Ichigo swirled around, his mouth agape as he tried to mentally figure the distance he'd just fallen. _This is amazing! My body feels so light! _

"Come on!" Hiyori called to him, she was already on the ground and walking down a long staircase that seemed to have been hidden under a slab of concrete. But his eyes shifted over to the small door. _I could probably get out now, if I tried. _"Could they see you?"

"What?" Ichigo blinked.

"Your family, your family! If you left right now and went back to them, could they see you?" Hiyori asked.

"No...probably not."

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

"Eat." Shinji commanded.

Ichigo pushed the curry away with a smug expression. "I'm not gonna eat until you let me go home. No matter what you say I'm not joining you guys."

"Who said anything about joining us?" Kensei asked.

"Nobody has yet, surprise-surprise. I'm assuming because A; I've already admitted to being a Vaizard like... twice now, and B; because that's what you wanted last time you guys looked me up." He was even surprising himself by how much he was letting his annoyance effect his tone and speech, with which he usually tried to maintain a politeness.

Muttering rippled through the small crowd.

"Last time? What do you mean?" Love asked.

Ichigo's head drop forward. "I seriously can't get any reaction out of you guys by admitting that I used to be a Vaizard? How disappointing...well, I guess if I'm still a shinigami... then I still am a Vaizard... I want to go home. It was a neat to meet you guys but I'm not staying."

"What did you mean by that?" Love nearly shouted.

"When you people taught me how to put the reigns on that thing. Shinji came to my school to try to recruit me, I said no but he still kept trying." Ichigo held up one finger and his voice fell to a pseudo-dark tone. "Once the symptoms appear, there is no turning back. Come with me, Ichigo. I'll teach how to save your sanity."

Shinji's friends turned to him with raised eyebrows; he shook his head in response. "I've no idea what he's talking about."

Ichigo was grinning inwardly, doing the best he could to keep a straight face. The rest of his dining experience was much the same, them with their questions and him with his further question raising answers.

Alas, they were not able to comprehend how someone could forget yet still know about it, how someone could sound so human yet so shinigami, and how someone could sound both older than and as young as they appeared to be. Ichigo had intentionally left everything about time travel and the notebook... and some rather important connecting details...out.

"Did you hit your head!?" Hiyori hallooed.

"Yes! Actually I did." He patted the bandaged that was still around his head.

Hiyori's expression fell to an extreme 'is he serious' type expression. "If we really trained you then let's see your mask."

"I don't know how to do something like that!" Ichigo stated as if it should've been obvious.

"What's your zanpaktou's name?" Kensei asked.

"Zangetsu."

"And you were a shinigami representative?" He asked.

"Yup."

"Why did you say you shouldn't still have your powers?"

"Lot's of stuff happened and I thought I lost them." He answered.

"I want to see him wield that thing; it's taller than he is! If you want to see if he's a threat then just go at him and see how well he can actually use that power." Kensei suggested to Shinji, who was laying on his side, trying to stifle a yawn.

"No!" Ichigo squeaked, his eyes displaying fright. "I haven't fought with Zangetsu for ages! I don't know how to do that type of stuff anymore!"

"Wa-wa-wait. You said you were nine years old, right? You're nine but how many years have you lived?" Love asked.

His fright mellowed into meekness. "I guess...fifteen."

Love pointed at him. "Ha! I got something!"

"Alright, alright. I think it's time for bed." Shinji declared. The other Vaizard instantly questioned his statement. "We've been at this for a long time and we're not getting anything but more questions out of him."

"B-but, I have to go home!" Ichigo yelled. "I can't stay here! Mama will freak out if I don't come home tonight. She's probably already losing her mind! Please, please, please, give me my body back."

"I'm sorry, not yet." Shinji responded.

His ambers glistened, his voice as calm as he could manage. "Shinji, please, I'm begging you."

Shinji didn't answer to the child as the others ushered him away. As they disappeared up the stair case Hiyori approached him. "Why won't you just let him go home?"

Shinji grinned. "Regretting your decision?"

She furrowed her brow. "Not quite. He's obviously got some screws loose or something... I highly doubt he's a threat to us."

"Well that's it; here we have a young, would-be-shinigami on our hands. He has enormous spirit energy and powers at his disposal that he doesn't seem to even know how to use. Someone like that, a gullible child, one who doesn't quite have a place in this conflict is going to be like a piece of candy when it gets closer to the confrontation."

"What are you getting at? Are you saying that you aren't planning on letting him go?" Hiyori gaped, now feeling a tinge of guilt. She knew what it was like to not be able to return to one's home.

"I'm just proposing we offer. It's a responsible, merciful thing for us to do. Take him under our wing. Help him tighten those screws and harness that power."

"You actually think he would stay when every off-beat he's asking to go home? There's no way." She laughed.

"Oh, I've been watching him, I'm pretty sure he'll stay. Just hold back and watch." Shinji replied, his lips pulling into a sly smile.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Slowly, the bawling child slumped back, tears still rolling from his closing eyes. The wood of the crate beneath him, the hard, cold wall that his back slid against, these things did nothing to offer the slightest bit of comfort. For someone who'd hardly stayed up past 9:30 the hour was extremely late, he couldn't keep his conscious from slipping into slumber.

His dry lips moved, expelling half-words in a droned near-whisper. "ho...have to...home...Ma...ma..."

The back of his radiant head was dusty from merely leaning against the wall, the school bag that Hiyori had discarded from his person upon entrance into this dusty, enormous, junk of a shed lay on his lap.

His soft whisperings sank to a low snooze, his head gently tilted forward, sinking down towards his chest for lack of a better pillow. He was asleep.

"Poor Berry-chan." Mashiro pouted, her voice breaking the silence among them. "Cried himself to sleep."

"How could that brat overcome his hollow?" Kensei inquired.

Love shook his head. "There's no way."

"Maybe he took care of it before he 'forgot'." Mashiro giggled.

"What a bunch of nonsense." Kensei grumbled.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Isshin paced obsessively, checking the time every half-second. Finally it hit 5:30, the time he had set for himself. He slung the two, small backpacks filled with little baggies of cereal, a juice box, and some toys over his shoulder.

He went upstairs and quietly crept into the little girl's room. As carefully as he could he lifted Yuzu out of her bed. She stirred but fell back asleep in his arms. He slipped her over into one arm and scooped Karin up in the other. _Alright. _Slowly he brought them down stairs.

Outside the front door he had a little red wagon, the bottom already lined with blankets. He put them down inside, tucking the backpacks between them.

Isshin towed the girls behind him, down the street. "We can't lose Mama too."

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Mentally he was still trying to wake up. Ichigo's eyes were half-opened, sleep still clouding his vision. From the feeling it seemed like he hadn't moved an inch since he fell asleep. It was more bizarre how in his current state he was awake, yet so much more encaged within himself then he'd ever been.

In that encagement, the enclosure, he could feel that energy surging through his veins in vast waves. An excited feeling in his gut implored him to utilize the swirling vat inside him. Without a second thought his consciousness delved in, immediately yanking out the first bit he could reach.

Even that little bit he could feel to the core of his bones. It was exhilarating, breath taking. He pried farther, intensifying the feeling as it leaked outside the barrier of his flesh. Now his eyes were wide, blazing blue, even though he still hadn't moved an inch. Further he reached into the depths of his soul, tugging out the energy begging to be freed. The feeling of all that power coursing around his body, pulsating in every single cell was a new feeling to him. It was growing more and more addicting by the second.

He watched calmly, ecstatically as his body was engulfed in the chilled blue flame. He watched, his body trembled under the massive power as the blue began turning black. Splinters of wood from the crate broke up and were suspended in the energy around him. The only word he could describe it with..._alive_. He felt so utterly and completely alive.

Ichigo grinned, he couldn't help it, and he couldn't deny such pure amazement. He could've sat there all day and simply indulged in this elation. Fortunately or unfortunately the Vaizard weren't too far away.

Shinji clapped his hands, more to get his attention then as an applause. "Hey, hey! Use your inside reiatsu level when you're in the house!"

Ichigo looked at the man, the energy around him dwindling away. His hands still tingled with the feeling of power. _Maybe...with this..._ "I'm going home, Shinji." His voice implying he was prepared to fight on it.

"Alright."

Ichigo blinked, nearly falling off his 5 ft. cube of a crate. "Really?!"

The other Vaizard had left so that they were alone on this level. Shinji gestured over his shoulder with his thumb. The couch had been moved to this level. Laying rather peacefully on it was his body. Beside the couch, leaned against the wall, in full bandaged-wrapped glory was his zanpaktou.

"I just want you to come talk with me for a minute." Of course, a catch.

"Very well." Ichigo agreed bravely. He followed Shinji down into their training room area. He was lead over to the sink used to wash dishes. Ichigo gave him a questioning look that Shinji responded to with a small frown.

"This is kind of hard to say..." Shinji started. "You see you've got all that power inside your tiny little body... but you don't quite know how to handle it."

He turned one of the knobs a fraction of an inch until _drip...drip...drip..._ "And you have a leak."

Ichigo narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"

"Your reiatsu is pouring out into the world. That's why you're so easy to find. But that reiatsu won't just stay in the air and build up like the water will in this plugged sink." Shinji pulled out the stopper and they both watched as the small puddle of water swirled around before disappearing. "Because people, the humans, will absorb it. Your family, this 'Mama' you're so worried about, your friends; they'll all start to absorb it and eventually they will be able to see spirits as well. Eventually those hollows will hunger for their souls as well."

"What?!" Ichigo gasped incredulously. _That can't be true! No...it can't! B-but the book. The book! That's how Inoue and Chad got their powers...how Tatsuki was able to see me..._

"You have as much time as you need to make your decision. You can go home or we will let you stay with us."

"Even if I didn't go home, why would I stay with you guys?! After all this!"

"I don't know if humans can sense it but the minute you step out of Hachi's barrier anyone who can will find you. As long as you stay here no one will ever find you. Here everyone's agreed to let you on board. They're all like you. They all lost their home due to their own power, and it was something none of them ever wanted. Besides, where else would you go?"

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

"Kisuke!" Isshin called, standing right inside the candy shop door.

The man with the striped hat opened his door. "Isshin? What are you doing here so early?"

"I need a favor." He tugged the wagon into the shop. "Can you watch them please?"

Urahara stared down at the sleeping twins. "You want me to baby sit? That's...new. I don't really know if I know how to..."

Yoruichi forced the door open so she could see Isshin as well. "What's going on Isshin?"

"Masaki ran off. She's trying to find him. She left like three hours ago, I have to go find her. I just need someone to watch the girls." Isshin importuned. "Do you think you guys could keep them, just until I find Masaki? They have breakfast in their backpacks and toys...please, they're well behaved."

"Of course we will. We'll take good care of them." Yoruichi assured. "You just go find your wife."

Isshin thanked them before hurrying off.

"I have absolutely no clue how to baby-sit." Urahara admitted sheepishly.

"We'll figure it out." Yoruichi encouraged. "Poor Isshin, he's lost both his son and his wife in one night. We'd better not loose the girls."

"Speaking of which...where are they?" Urahara asked with a deadpan expression. The little red wagon was missing its most important cargo, the two little girls.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Ichigo's fingers plied between the tan bandages, revealing the brilliance of the blade. He pushed his forehead against the cold metal. _Mr. Zangetsu? Do you remember me?...I can't hear him. _His eyes shimmered with sadness, his teeth clenched. He slipped his head down the blade about 3 inches. _What am I supposed to do? When I know I'm hurting them either way... I hate those hollows, I was attacked and I still haven't gotten over the fear I felt at that moment... I would never wish that on any one! What do I do? What?!_

He leaned back on his heels, his eyes boring holes into his own body. _This is a decision that effects everybody, at the same time it's an enormous decision even if I only consider myself. Given the choice which is better, a life with the power or without it? A life as a human or as a shinigami?_

_If I go home will I end up walking the same path I did last time? If I stay where will this take me to?_

_What is the right choice when everyone is accounted?_

"Darn it!" He growled. _How can I choose?!_

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

"Wook at dis." Karin whispered, handing Yuzu an off-color pez dispenser.

"Dats weally stwange looking." Yuzu agreed. "Where's Daddy? He's not hewe."

"Dwaddy wouldn't just weave us hewe, he's gotta be somewhe'e, just keep looking." Karin urged. The two where crouched down in the far corner, trying to scout out their father without being seen by the strangers. "Oh no! They awe coming! Wun! Wun that way!"

They hurriedly snuck down one of the aisles as Urahara looked out the door. "They couldn't have gotten too far."

Yuzu was too busy watching the strange hat-wearing guy that she didn't realize the purple-haired woman had seen her. "Dat was a close one..." Her eyes met Yoruichi's. "Aaah! They found us! Wuuun!"

The twins scurried back down the aisle but Urahara was waiting for them at the other side.

"Found them." He said with a grin.

- _A/N: The following part is two simultaneous scenes happening at the same time. Instead of scene changing borders every other paragraph Isshin's will be in italics and Ichi's in regular font. –Thank you, Shiro._

_The afternoon breeze danced through the town. Isshin stumbled on slowly, he didn't have a car or any other form of transportation so his only choice was to search for her on foot. He sighed heavily, wondering where she could be. But as he followed the street it curved out of the domestic lots, revealing the beautiful river. It was the path into the main part of town, the path on which Masaki had taken Ichigo to his karate classes for years. Between him and the bright orange expanse of the river and sky was a single character, a character he recognized thoroughly. His heart jumped. _Masaki!

From the orange light that was streaming through the wooden window it was obvious that the late afternoon had by now arrived.

"It doesn't work like that." Shinji was saying. His friend's were gathered, discussing and arguing over idle things.

The small orange-haired child approached, silencing the group. He was clad in his school uniform, obviously having returned to his body.

_"Masaki!" His shout rang through the town around him as he ran full-force into an immediate hug. "Thank goodness, your okay."_

_"Isshin..." The beautiful brunette buried her head in his chest, nearly collapsing in exhaustion. "I-I haven't found him yet. I still..."_

_"Shh..." He hushed her. "This isn't doing any good. There are other ways you can help him, but this isn't going to do anything."_

_Masaki tried to shake her head, still not wanting to believe this could be futile. Her feet were raw and blistered, her elegant waves of hair matted and messy. Her outfit, her entire body was damp. Isshin lugged her up onto his back. "It's alright hunny, we'll go home."_

_"Wha...what about Ichigo?" She muttered._

_"Nobody's been home all day; imagine if we weren't there to welcome him home."_

"Heading out?" Shinji asked.

Ichigo bowed lowly, his arms trembling slightly. "Mr. Shinji, I made my decision."

_"It wasn't one of those..."_

_"One of what?" Isshin asked._

_"Those...those monsters... they didn't get him. He's still alive...I know it...I can feel it. I don't want you to even...to even consider it." She told him, breathless from exhaustion. Isshin smiled lovingly and nodded. Masaki closed her eyes and snuggled into his back. "We're going to find him and bring him home."_

He straightened himself, meeting each one's eyes individually as he scanned over the room. "I would like to ask if… I may join you."

**Chapter End**


	9. To Give Up the World

**Chapter 9; To Give Up the World**

_Her fingers tightly clutched the small, glossy, red cardboard box, the cover depicting a handful of chocolaty biscuit sticks. _Figures. _Tatsuki thought. _That's so like him. Here he is getting ready to fight in a war and he's saving up his allowance to send his family on a vacation to Okinawa. You haven't changed...

How in the world did you get pulled into this stuff? _Tatsuki sighed. _I guess eventually you just didn't need me anymore.

What's this? _Besides the box of pocky an arrangement of pencils, other objects necessary for school work, and a book at the very bottom where fit so specifically there wasn't room for anything else. With the exception of the object she noticed after lifting out the pocky box, apparently. It was a photo, well kept by the looks of it. A family photo nonetheless; capturing a scene after a festival. The girls looked hardly old enough to walk, each hoisted onto one of their father's shoulders. Masaki had her hand up, brushing back an unruly strand of hair, the setting sun seemed to send ripples of gold through her gorgeous mane. Ichigo was at the lead, a simple contented expression adorning his features as he gnawed on a taiyaki. The group was dressed in more traditional garments; the picture appeared un-posed-for, as if someone was lucky enough to capture the essence of such a perfect scene. Tatsuki's fingers lightly brushed it. _Of course. He's that type of person, he always has been. _Her hand began to shake regardless of her will to stop it from doing so. _

_"I found it." Tatsuki said aloud, fighting to keep her voice steady. The young girl with cockroach bangs nodded shyly, waiting for her by the door. "Thanks for escorting me."_

_"Not at all. I'm sure Mr. Kurosaki wouldn't be very happy if you got hurt." Ururu told her._

_Tatsuki drifted over to the window, the flurry of green curtains were already pulled back to show the grotesque sight of the obstructed atmosphere. _Once upon a time you were the sweetest person I knew...

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

_"Man, won't they quit!?" Ichigo complained as even more hollows pilled through the crack. Just when they seemed to get all of them even more came! He leaned over his knees panting. "We've been at this for hours! What is Aizen thinking? He's just wasting away his army like this!"_

_"A thousand will mean nothing to him when he's still got Gillians, Adjuchas, Vasto Lordes, and Arrancar. Not to mention the Espada, his top 10 fighters. His plan probably is the ware us out with the weaklings so we wont last as long against the stronger opponents." Ishida said in his serious tone that made it seem as if he knew everything._

_"You make it sound like we'd lose either way." Ichigo told him._

_"You've fought longer then this before, haven't you?"_

_"Yeah, but there's no strife in this! It's like pulling weeds!"_

_Any other attempt to regroup and rest had been thwarted, just like this one just had. It was becoming easier for them to just give up on the idea of a break. Ichigo waved, grudgingly heading back into battle. Luckily the fatality rate of local souls was low, thanks to Urahara and his gang helping out._

Useless. _He thought, hopping up to the nearest roof top. _Tedious. Pointless hollow floods!

_"Wait, Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime shouted, pointing to the sky. A large, black figure fell out of the long crack. The ground shook from the shock waves, knocking Orihime off her feet. The great, lumbering beast extended to full height, looking around the town through it's big, white mask; a Menos Grande._

_All of a sudden the monster's body split in half, a lone figure flipped away from its disintegrating remains. She landed in a crouching position on top one of the taller houses. Lots of black figures hopped after her like an army of small black toads chasing an extremely delicious looking fly._

_"What happened?" Orihime asked, brushing herself off as she reentered a steady standing position._

_Ichigo blinked; dumbfounded. "Looks like the Gotei 13 finally showed up."_

_The main shinigami seemed to be shouting orders to the ones behind her. Groups broke off to pursue hollow clusters. The main shinigami disappeared, rather abruptly reappearing on the same roof top as Ichigo. The girl bowed, her dark hair pulled back into a bun. "Good Afternoon, Kurosaki-san."_

_"Hello...Hinamori was it?" He asked._

_She smiled. "You remembered my name. Sorry if we're late, it's been so hectic in the Soul Society. Woke up to over thirty Menos in the Rukongai going cero happy, it was horrible!"_

_"Really?" Ichigo frowned. _What in the world is Aizen planning? _"Are you feeling well enough to be out here?" Throughout their adventures they'd hardly engaged the Fifth Division Fukutaichou but with the speed gossip spread through the Soul Society each knew well who the other was._

_Hinamori nodded emptily. "My orders are to stake out the World of the Living and join with the current acting representative group; I'm assuming that means you."_

_"How many do you got?" He asked._

_"The entire 5th Division and a squadron of 4th Division healers."_

_"Wow." He gawked, looking back to where he'd first seen all the shinigami. "Considering what's come through so far…not bad."_

_Hinamori grinned. "Yes, not bad at all."_

_His friends waited patiently for him to return to them and explain the current situation. Alas, running his hand through that lengthy orange fuzz of his, he finished with a heaving sigh. "I'm thinking it would be alright if we took a quick break, see if Urahara's got a meal cookin'."_

_"Are you sure it's okay to leave?" Orihime asked worriedly. _

_"If Urahara and Yoruichi could hold 'em off for half an hour I don't think an entire Division is going to have a problem for now." He told her._

_"Makes sense to me." Chad agreed._

_"Wait, Kurosaki." Ishida said as he began to walk away. "While we have a free moment, I think you should know...we know about it."_

_Ichigo looked back with a simple (truthful) confused frown. "Know about what?"_

_"The mask."_

_He scrunched his eyebrows, with an attempted laugh that only proved how nervous he suddenly felt. "What are you talking about?"_

_"When were you planning on telling us? That seems incredibly suspicious." Ishida said._

_It felt as if suddenly there was a deep ravine in the ground between him and his friends. _How? _He looked at Orihime who, seeing he was indeed upset, felt horribly guilty. "It's nothing like that."_

_"Then what is it?"_

_Ichigo stopped short, cornered. There seemed no way out. _What am I supposed to tell them? _"It's nothing to worry about. I'm on your side, aren't I?" He flung his arm out. "If it's for this, does it really matter what kind of power it is?!"_

_"If it's nothing to worry about then why are you trying to hide it?" Ishida questioned._

_How could he just up and admit he was afraid that they'd be afraid of him? That this power would push everything away, and ruin everything he had. Before he could think of a decent answer Orihime ran between them, extending her arms as if to protect him. "Slow down and think about what you're saying. You really think Kurosaki-kun of all people would betray us?"_

_"I just think 'hey, look at this neat mask I found that enhances my abilities' isn't very hard to say. There has to be something else going on." The Quincy protested._

_The whole situation was awkward. Ichigo grabbed Orihime's shoulder, causing her to lower her arms. He brought his other hand up to his face, with an exaggerated clenching the white mask formed over his expression._

_They gasped. Although Orihime had seen it before she couldn't help but to stifle a squeak as an intense wave of that hollow-like energy radiated through her from his hand. His piercing yellow eyes solemnly studied their expressions. _

He materialized it out of thin air. _Ishida noted in astonishment. "What the heck happened to you, Kurosaki?"_

_"You know, but you've never actually seen it before, have you?" He scoffed; his voice had a strange echoing effect. His hand moved up to his mask, removing it from his face. His yellow irises stared hard at Ishida. "Sorry, but I didn't just randomly find it."_

_The mask broke up, the darkness in his eyes receded. "I'm on your side whether you like it or not." Ichigo walked off, waving. "I'm going to Urahara's!"_

_No matter how much in the end he tried to detach himself from those fears and those emotions he gave off subtle hints of that gripping fear in his stomach. The entirety of his being was begging that they would follow him, in a metaphorical translation to stay by his side. He couldn't just tell them of that fear because doing that meant opening himself up to the world, which was something he'd become quite horrible at._

_"Ishida-kun!" Orihime complained. "Was that really the time or the right way to confront Kurosaki-kun? He's the only reason we're here in the first place! How could you even suggest that he would turn against us?"_

_"Sorry, it just seems suspicious to me."_

_"We should follow him, shouldn't we?" Chad asked. His friends nodded; it was probably best._

_xXxXXxXXxXXxXx_

_His nakama followed him, thankfully. As they sat around enjoying the meal Urahara had so helpingly shared with them they tried to pretend like nothing had happened. Even though the air was tense because something had just happened and it wasn't done happening yet. As soon as Ichigo finished his food he asked Urahara if he could use the shower. In one of the back rooms of the small shoten, alone with nothing but the hot water beating on his back and relaxing his muscles, he allowed his mind to sink into a dull nothing as he tried to keep his thoughts on the unimportant things. This was the beginning of a war, he'd be doing plenty of worrying._

_The water was quickly becoming cold; he was forced out of that small sanctuary and back into the harsh reality of the world. _It's not that life's unfair. _He thought, slipping his arm into the white top of his shihakushou. _It's just plain unfortunate.

_Walking down the dark hall he had his woven shoes and tabi socks in one hand, the other with a white, fuzzy towel trying to scrub the wetness out of his hair. A few droplets of water slid off his skin and splashed onto the wood as his bare feet padded softly along. His hand reached up to pull open the cracked door but halted upon hearing his friend's voices from the other side. _

_"...Do you think Rukia knows?" It was Ishida's voice, of course._

_"I don't know." Orihime replied quietly and hesitantly._

_The bar of light that permeated the hallway seemed taunting almost, as if it were laughing at him. His hand fell back down to his side._

_"Urahara-san, I thought of something; if the Arrancar are hollows who've gained shinigami powers is it possible for a shinigami to gain hollow powers?" The Quincy asked._

_The shop keeper opened his fan in front of his face. "…It's possible."_

_"Are there any shinigami in the Soul Society like that?" Orihime squeaked._

_"Not anymore." Urahara answered._

_The three nakama exchanged apprehensive looks. Suddenly the door slid open; Ichigo stepped in with an attempt of nonchalance._

_"We're called Vaizard." Ichigo stated, hardly believing that he was referring to himself as such. He wondered whether they could feel the pending rift. "The reason I didn't tell you guys was because I didn't want this to happen, I guess I never stopped hoping that it would just go away."_

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

The brass knob turned. _Click! _The door slowly opened so that the anxious child could peek his head in. _It's not good to leave the door unlocked._

The house was dark and it somehow felt empty. His foot steps were quiet, once again in his tabi and robes. In one of the dining table chairs that faced the door his father was slumped forward, asleep, a half-drunken bottle of beer in his outstretched hand.

Ichigo's hand involuntarily moved to touch his father's sleeping form. The action was forcibly revoked. There was a chance that his father really could see him, and the ghosts. "I'm sorry."

His eyes moved to the green glow of the oven clock that seemed to break the darkness of the entire kitchen; 3:48. Ichigo walked away, his eyes scanning the far corners for any other misplaced characters as he found the stairs. These objects; these simple little things like the number of stairs or the arrangement of clean dishes as they sat to dry on their rack, shouldn't make him feel so far away. Like looking at a place you haven't been in years, a place with so many good memories that you can't help but smile at... and yet, at the same time, feel sad.

He lightly pushed open the door of his parent's room. Masaki was sprawled atop the covers, still dressed in the same casual lilac colored outfit she'd been in when he'd left for school yesterday morning. Clamped in her right hand was the family photo they kept on their bedside table.

"Mama..." Ichigo murmured. One by one his fingers let go of the wooden door. No longer having something physical to hold onto he unsurely meandered around the room. Eventually he found some form of inner peace and crawled up onto the bed.

"I'm sorry, Mama..." He whispered. "It looks like I've already hurt you a lot."

He tried to smile for her. "You deserve an explanation, don't you?"

Ichigo sat on the very edge of the bed, kicking his feet idly while his mind became wrapped up in thought. His mother definitely couldn't see him, so he didn't have to worry about waking her up. But even so the whole time he was talking he was silently wishing she'd wake up, snuggle him in loving arms and to tell him he didn't have to do this, that there was some other alternative that could fix it all. "I really didn't want to do this, Mama. I wanted... I wanted to come home so that Karin and Yuzu, Mama and Daddy...and I could keep living together. But I can't. I can't because, I don't want to see Mama be sad, but more then that I don't want to... I don't want Mama to die because of me!"

His legs stopped kicking, his hands clenching, shoulders shaking. "I thought things had been going good but Shinji was right."

Ichigo crawled up to his mother. Carefully he lifted up his mother's empty hand, nuzzling into her palm. Her gentle fingers were always loving on his head, messing with his hair, or just offering comfort. He nestled lovingly into her hand, kneeling on the bed beside her. "I love you Mama, more than you could ever imagine. I know it's hard but I need you to do me a favor. I don't wanna see Mama cry so please, for now, just forget about me. Let me go Mama."

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

"Ugh..." Rukia grumbled, trying to find a comfortable position to sleep in on that branch of a tree. _What a day... what a day... I'm exhausted. _Her violets opened, shooting up to the starry sky. "Huh."

_Seems like the kozou came back from wherever he went off to... should I go welcome him? _Her aching body complained at the thought._ He can't stay away from me, I'm sure he'll come around tomorrow. _With that she leaned back into the rough bark.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Ichigo drew a long, deep breath. He'd arrived at his last mark. Their door was already open, an occasional toy stranded on the floor. Step by step he snuck towards their beds. Veiled by the darkness an ebony-colored wooden pony caught his foot and crashed onto its side. The loud clattering seemed to boom in the noisy room.

A small noise followed the clutter; Ichigo could feel his heart thudding hard within his little chest. Yuzu sat up; her wide eyes scanned the room, finding nothing. Instead of laying back down she smiled so sweetly. "Big Bwadda?"

Ichigo froze solid. Yuzu grinned at the empty space. "Mwommy and Dwaddy said dat you awe a supaa hewow."

He'd been doing good, holding it in. But suddenly he felt the sadness washing over him and breaking down his guard. For the first time since he'd come that night tears flowed freely down his cheeks. He walked up to her bed.

Yuzu followed the very slight blur in the air. _Is it Big Brother, or just my imagination? _Suddenly she was lifted up out of her bed, seemingly suspended in the air. She knew better then to be afraid. "It weally is you!"

Ichigo was laughing and crying at the same time as his little sister hugged him, burying her face in his black cloth. "I love you too, Yuzu. Shhh..."

Yuzu stopped wiggling, relaxing into him. She couldn't really see him but she felt the textures of his clothing, the soft, warm skin as he held her tightly.

"Good-bye, Karin. I love you and I'll miss you so much. Take care of your sister... Mama and Dad too, okay? Without me you'll be the oldest so people will be looking towards you. You'll do great! Just be sure to take care of yourself too." He whispered to his other sister, fast asleep in her bed.

Ichigo carried his littlest sister with him, she didn't question where they were headed, she was glad he had her in his arms. He took her to his own bedroom. Still hugging her tightly to him he sat down on his bed next to the window.

"I'm so gwad you came back!" Yuzu whispered.

Ichigo shook his head. "I have to go back." He pressed his finger to his lips. "This'll be our little secret, okay?"

He couldn't tell if she could hear him. She sat in his lap, lightly holding his thumb as if letting go meant letting go of him for good. "It's your bedtime; it's too late for you to be up."

Slowly he rocked her back and forth, back and forth, all the while tears glistening trails down his cheeks. She muttered things to him but small children like her can't deny it when they're tired.

"Baby mine, don't you cry. Baby mine, dry your eyes. Rest your head close to my heart." He sang softly. His rocking arms stopped, pulling her in even tighter as his arms began to shake. His head was bowed forward.

"Never to part, baby of mine." He choked. Yuzu could feel this invisible mass around her weeping. She tried to fight through her heavy eyelids...Yuzu propped herself up. She wrapped her arms around her brother's neck.

"It's okay, Big Bwadda. It's okay." She tried to coax him. He embraced his sister, welcoming her comfort. "Everything is going to be alwight. You awe safe and sound, so what could be so bawd?"

Silently, they sat, her small body slowly becoming limp in his arms. Ichigo gently laid her down on his bed and covered her up. He kissed the top of her head. "Sorry, Yuzu, but this time I'm not coming back."

He slid the window open, took one last look around his room. Of course taking anything might end up looking suspicious.

"Remember." He whispered, "Our little secret."

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

_Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump. _Hiyori lunged, landing on the next rooftop. Her sandals weren't really the type of shoes for running along roof tops and phone-lines but her focus steadied her in mere seconds. She halted seeing that ridiculously bright head of the apparently _ex-_shinigami.

She alone witnessed as the last bit of light faded from his eyes. He stood up on the brick wall, staring solemnly at the two story structure. This might've been easier had he been forced into it, but he hadn't so it wasn't as if he had no choice. On something so spur of the moment he had only to go with what he thought was right. That was to keep his beloved family out of harms way. If it was to protect them, he would forcibly snap those strings between them himself.

"You don't have to..." Hiyori trailed off, from atop the house behind him. "Shinji's not making you, you can go back."

"...I understand that." He replied darkly.

Hiyori put her hands on her hips. "Yet you're still coming with us? What did Shinji say to you?"

"I don't need to explain my motives to you." He muttered.

"Alright, alright. You don't have to, I won't push it." She said.

Hiyori landed on the wall beside him, he didn't even spare her a glance. "Yesterday... I was letting my curiosity get the best of me and then when I saw you I guess I really didn't think... I just wanted to show the others and... I wanted to know who you were. But now... I'm sorry."

Ichigo expired a hefty sigh, "I should probably thank you, actually. I wasn't thinking about _this_, you might've saved me from doing the same thing I did last time..."

Hiyori studied the child in disbelief. "You're thanking me for ruining your life?"

"I am."

_Wow. _Hiyori gaped. _He really does have some screws loose. _"I guess I'll head back... you coming?"

"I'll come..._home_ in a minute. You go ahead; I just want to stay here a little bit longer." Ichigo told her. "Don't worry, I'll be out of here before they wake up. It seems they've had a hectic day, I'm so glad they can sleep."

Hiyori looked a bit skeptical but said. "Okay then, see ya later."

After the Vaizard left, Ichigo kneeled upon his perch.

"I'll figure something out." He whispered.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

The blazing sun alit the world, its rays beating down on her as her feet beat a steady rhythm against the concrete. Her lungs were bursting, her heart throbbing. Crystallic tears caught the sun's light as they were whipped off her cheeks.

_"I'm sorry, Tatsuki-chan."_

She was running, she'd been running longer than she ever had. She didn't want to stop, she couldn't.

_"...I'm sorry, Tatsuki-chan." _

_"What do you mean?" She stuttered._

_"He never came home after school on Friday." Isshin explained, the words were painful both to say and hear._

_No! _She shouted in her head. _Not him! Why in the world does it have to be him?! Ichigo would never hurt anyone! He's so soft, innocent... sweet. He doesn't deserve something like this!_

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

The world was once again becoming dark, the light of the first star twinkled cheerfully from its spot above the horizon. Rukia stared at it wistfully.

_**"Look, it's the first star!"**_

_I felt him last night but he's gone again. Where'd you go, kozou? You're beginning to worry me. _

_**"Haven't you seen stars before?"**_

_**"Of course I have! Just because you've seen something before doesn't make that thing any less amazing."**_

_**"You're too optimistic for your own good."**_

Rukia slid off the tree branch she'd been sitting on. _Why am I worrying about him?! Well... he clearly doesn't know how to stay out of trouble... hanging around a Shinigami and all... He'll be fine, I'm sure he will. Tomorrow, I bet he'll come around after school._

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Monday morning brought no more hope then the last two had for the increasingly desperate Kurosaki family. They were doing everything they could to find their son, and at the same time doing everything they could to stay sane for their daughter's sake. The four sat at the table, attempting to have a normal breakfast before starting again on their otiose tactics.

The room was quiet. For the longest time no one wanted to be the one to break it. Yuzu looked at the extra bowl and chopsticks set out at her brother's usual spot.

"Bwadda's never gonna come home." Yuzu stated, finally breaking that silence.

Her parents were shocked but Masaki smiled kindly. "Now, why would you say that? Of course he will!"

"No, Bwadda isn't coming back." She pressed.

Isshin stood up, seeing it was upsetting his beloved. His voice was firm but not angry. "That's enough of that. If you say that one more time I'm going to send you to your room."

Yuzu dropped it, staring at her bowl sadly. _But he told me he wasn't. That's why Big Brother was crying._

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Tatsuki was marching homeward, her mind in a daze. She'd hardly retained anything that'd happened during the day. The worry had literally made her sick and queasy, trying to ignore that just made it all seem worse. She wished she could just curl up into a ball and swim around in those emotions. It was horrible, knowing there was absolutely nothing she could do about it.

She looked up at the sun. _I think right now, for him, I would do anything it took to have him back._

Her back stiffened as she walked by the park, not wanting her mind to be filled with memories... _But is remembering bad?_

"Darn it! You're already thinking like he's dead or something!" She shouted, angry at herself. She forced herself down those blue steps, trying to prove to herself that there was nothing wrong. Two small children ran by her, laughing as they raced up the stairs, leaving the park empty.

_I wonder if his friend would still be here? _Her eyes moved to the right-most bench. Of course she didn't see anything... why would she expect to? Tatsuki strode over and took a seat.

"Hey... I don't know if you're here... or if you can hear me. To tell you the truth I don't even remember your name." Tatsuki laughed, talking under her breath so she wasn't too loud. "I'm Ichigo's friend. You know him, don't you?"

_...What am I doing? _She rubbed her face, stressed.

_Ssssst. _She heard the soft sound; it caused her to lower her hand. _What? _In front of her the dirt was parting, forming words; _Y...E...S._

Tatsuki gasped. "You really are here!"

A line slowly formed under the _YES_.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Rukia had just returned to this little park she'd marked as her base. It was easier to have a place to always go back to. Though she was a bit disgruntled to have a human sitting at her favorite spot… the angles of the other benches just didn't work with the sun.

_When they're by themselves they never stay for long._ She was deciding what she would do until the human left when she heard the girl talking. Her first assumption? The girl must be mental in some way.

"I'm Ichigo's friend..." Rukia stopped.

"You know him, don't you?" She was caught in an awkward situation. This girl couldn't hear or see her and she was sure the Soul Society must have some law about not interacting with the humans. She'd already been engaging Ichigo so what was one more minor offense?

Rukia knelt down, using her index finger to shape letters in the sand.

"You really are here!" The human gasped. Rukia ran her finger under the words, as if to repeat herself in a firm way.

"Do you know where Ichigo is?" Tatsuki asked with a sparkle of hope. Rukia wiped away her 'yes' and in its place drew a 'no'. That hope faded.

Tatsuki balled her fists. "When's the last time you saw him?"

_F...R...I...D...A...Y... _Rukia sketched, her words were at a bit of an angle for Tatsuki so that Rukia didn't have to write up-side down. _AFTER SCHOOL. _Rukia drew her hand back, disgusted how dirty it was getting.

"Really?!" Tatsuki grinned. _This might lead me to him after all! _"What'd you do? Where'd you go?"

_Requesting long answers. _Rukia grumbled, erasing her previous response for a new sheet of sand. _ONLY A MOMENT. BOTH HAD TO GO. BETWEEN SHOOL AND HERE. _She let those words hang in the sand grains for a moment before brushing them away. _WHAT HAPPENED?_

Tatsuki's voice quivered. "He never made it home. Everyone's so worried about him. The police are investigating but they haven't found a single lead. So, so far, the only thing anyone can do is look."

Rukia pursued her lips. _What?!_ _So he's just gone? What was that last night? I know I felt him. I should've gone then! Nobody knows what happened? _She swiped the sand again, her hand pressed into it as she mentally searched for a response, leaving an impression. How did she feel emotionally about this? She didn't have that big of a connection with that child who'd joyfully visited with her every day this week. According to the story they each held a great importance to the other.

_Should I be torn up? Should I not care? If we were in opposite places he'd definitely do something about it. _Rukia dug her index finger deep into the dirt;_ I WILL FIND HIM._

"Thank you." Tatsuki sniffed. "For anything you could do to help... thank you so much."

Rukia nodded, assessing what she'd just committed herself to. _I can do this. To protect the souls of this town; it's my duty, right? I'll figure out what happened and bring you back...Ichigo._

"May I ask your name?" The human girl asked.

_RUKIA_. She traced in the dirt.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Rukia. I'm Tatsuki." Tatsuki smiled at the nothingness before her. By the short description Ichigo had given her she tried to picture the girl crouching there, writing in the sand. A ball of 'something really is there!' was caught somewhere between her stomach and her throat. This had to be one of the most amazing conversations she'd ever had.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Tatsuki took one last look at the park. The feeling of hope had bloomed again. _Thank you, Rukia. _She waved with a grin, wandering if the ghostly woman was waving back. Her mood felt lighter; she was actually smiling! _You know what, Ichigo? _Her gaze focused on the path before her. _I'm going to make it a promise, because I've always tried to look after you, and, face the facts, you aren't very good at standing up for yourself. I promise you I'll do everything I can do to get you back._

**Chapter End**

_A/N: Rather sad chapter. I'm sorry if nothing really happened. Things'll happen...they'll happen... Every once in a while I'll get a review and the person will say something that provokes a grin and makes me want to tell them 'Don't worry, just sit back and watch'. I've got nearly the whole thing already planned, stating thusly I'm wrong again. Next chapter will not be the last. I don't think you guys want my next estimate...if you do just say something. I told you originally cause I didn't want you to kill me if there were indeed only six chapters as originally planned. Interesting fact; up until three days before it was finished the chapter's title was 'Is What We'll Always Be'. Apparently by the eleventh day I didn't like it anymore so I came up with something else. Oh, and the song Ichi's singing is from Dumbo (which I do NOT own, in case anyone was wondering). Thanks for all the reviews! You guys are awesome!_


	10. Rain Rain Go Away

**Chapter 10; Rain Rain Go Away**

_About two weeks later;_

Left; _blocked._

Right; _blocked._

Horizontal slice; _blocked._

He was pushed back, as reattribute for leaving himself open he received a hard whack on the head. Ichigo fell onto his butt; he dropped his wooden sword to grab his head. _Ouch. _It hurt just as badly the tenth time as it had the first. There was so much to think about at once_. I used to be so good at this!_ _That book doesn't explain exactly how complicated sword-fighting is._

Ichigo stood up, regrasping the hilt of his shinai. "Again." He requested.

"If you're sure." Kensei responded, readying his stance.

The lack of proper kendo armor was probably not the best way to begin training... yet it might have been more effective. If it were a real battle he'd be dead, if it were a real battle it would've hurt 10 times as worse. He reminded himself every time he lost. _If I'm going to accomplish things then I'm going to have to win._

Ichigo charged, swinging a perfect vertical slice, Kensei dodge to the left with ease. _Yes! _Quickly changing the direction he swept horizontally at Kensei's feet. To his surprise Kensei jumped as the bamboo swung beneath him. Kensei landed, their swords contacted. Ichigo's shinai was forced up over Kensei's head to his other side where it was pinned to ground.

_His next move will be to release my sword and attack before I have time to react. So... I won't let him! _Ichigo ran forward, rearranging the position of his hands he used his shinai as a pole vaulter might his pole. He, however, didn't release the hilt as he aimed a kick at Kensei's chest. Kensei once again dodged but that was, least to say, expected of someone at his stature. Ichigo landed in crouching position. His shinai, at first pointed back behind him stroked forwards, slamming into Kensei's shins. _Got 'im!_

"Yes! I finally got you." Ichigo cheered, pleased with himself.

Kensei seemed decently surprised. "Nice maneuver there."

Ichigo collapsed back, wiping the sweat off his brow as he proceeded to chug an entire bottle of water. The taste was so elating he looked around with the faint hope of finding another one out amongst the dirt and rocks.

"Training, are we?" The all-to-familiar voice inquired.

Ichigo rolled his head to the side. "Shinji, what's brought you around here?"

"What, I can't just pop into say hi?" Shinji asked, his grin flipping upside-down.

"Is that really all you came for?" Ichigo asked dubiously.

"Nope, I was thinking maybe you wanted to go out." He offered, his grin returning.

"Go out?" Ichigo sat up. "You mean outside?" He hadn't left this dusty little shack since that night. He wasn't even sure he'd be leaving anytime soon.

"Yes, outside. Everyone else has a little something so I thought it wouldn't hurt to get you a book or something. After all, today is your birthday, right?" Shinji asked with a smirk. Of course... considering what happened the other day it didn't seem like that bad of an idea.

_Ichigo wandered around the dim levels, searching for something to help rid him of his boredom. _Anything? _He sighed. What else was there in this place besides crates and cobwebs? What did the other Vaizard do all day? He noticed Love sitting against one of the pillars that supported the levels, a manga held intently before him._

_He approached the star-fro'ed Vaizard. "Excuse me, Love. Where'd you get the manga from?"_

_Love was too pulled into the story to think. "I borrowed it from Lisa."_

_"Thanks." Ichigo wandered around in search of Lisa. _So she's the one with the books! That's good to know.

_Shortly after Ichigo left Hiyori, who was developing an odd habit of keeping her eye on him from afar, stopped in front of Love. "What was he just asking you?"_

_"He just wanted to know where I got the book." Love answered, the words hung between them... Love looked up slowly in realization, each of their eyes widening in. _Oh no!

_"Hey, Lisa, I was wondering if I could borrow a book." Ichigo asked her shyly._

_Lisa blinked, surprised. "Do you usually read stuff like this?"_

_"Reading's very good for you, at least that's what they always tell us in school. I've got a few manga's at home... I was just a little bored; I thought some reading material might help."_

_"Really?" She gaped, incredulously. "Do you have a preference?"_

_"If you had something on the younger side that would be awesome."_

_"I'll see what I have." Lisa snickered. _Is he for real?

_"Stop!" Hiyori shouted, Love tailing close behind her. They wheeled the little boy away before he could even speak. "Not for you, alright? She's not the type of person you should be borrowing things from!"_

"Does that even work?" Ichigo blinked. "To go outside I mean."

"Of course, who do you think we are? Get all ready and we'll head out." Shinji waved himself away. Ichigo turned to Kensei, who still had the same serious expression he always had.

"Thank you for helping me." Ichigo stood to bow before running off. He was surprised he even had enough energy to run, but he found it. His experience here with the Vaizard was, least to say, interesting. After the first few days he seemed to fit right in (most likely thanks to his orange hair and flabbergasting story). He was still very worried about his family and friends but he was trying to move past that and interact with these kindred of his. He greatly enjoyed his soul form and his shihakushou, it just felt so natural, comfortable, it was the state 'back then' his soul had started growing accustomed to.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Rukia frowned inwardly, her left hand pressing the notebook to her chest as she scanned the words hoisted on the sign above the shop's door. Somehow she'd managed to stay away from this place so far, but the time had come to visit the local candy shop. The shinigami put on the most uncompromising, tyrannical expression she could before sliding open the door.

The air in the shop seemed stale and the place was in need of better lighting. The two younglings that worked there were busily restocking one of the back shelves, most likely because the product had gone bad, not because they actually sold out of something. The shop keeper must've sensed the arrival of his guest because he appeared in a flurry of green before she had even requested him.

"My, my! If it isn't the new residential shinigami, come to pay me a visit at last!" Urahara smiled slyly, his hand on his white-green striped hat. "And the Noble Kuchiki Rukia at that!"

"You can drop the sugar, I know all about the Hougyoku." She snipped.

"I see." Urahara's smiled lowered to a rather flat expression. "So it's safe to assume you didn't come here for supplies or sweets?"

"Yeah, actually I had something to ask you. You seem like the one with the answers..." She flipped the notebook open to a page she had previously marked and held it out to him. "I know you're sorry about the whole Hougyoku thing, it's fine. I just want to know where this place is."

Urahara was nonplussed. "You have the notebook..." Surprise gave way to understanding. "So you've been spending time with that boy?"

"You've seen the notebook?"

"I have."

"I'm looking for him; this place has been bugging me since I first read it. You do know where it is, don't you?"

Urahara took the notebook from her, reading her selected page. "You think he's here?"

"Yes." She snatched the book back. "Are you going to tell me where it is?"

"I will, Ms. Kuchiki, but I wouldn't suggest you make too much of a disturbance for the residence."

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

The day was a dismal gray, the blue of the sky completely clouded over. Every so often it lightly sprinkled but otherwise no water fell. The air of itself felt damp enough to suffice for the lack of rain. The mere dreary state of the world was depressing enough but seeing all these familiar places was the cherry atop his cheesecake.

Ichigo thought it would be fun leaving that place for a little while but soon came to find that boy... he was wrong. In all the short glory of his nine years, even when it came to being teased about his hair never had he felt so ashamed of who he was as a person. It felt as if he had single handedly brought the grayness out himself. If someone he knew, if Tatsuki, or his sisters, or his parents...Miss Kuchiki, had done what he had done he couldn't even imagine how he would've felt.

Ichigo held onto Shinji's sleeve as they walked down the pavement, past the shops and cars. A small, purple cat head plush was looped onto his belt loop, apparently to hide his reiatsu. He reached up with his free hand to adjust the hood of his coat, always staying a step or two behind his elder.

They stopped; waiting to cross the street. Ichigo's eyesight drifted around the familiar structures of this town... _his town_. He stopped on the electronics shop so conveniently beside them, its windows were full of TV screens (as electronic stores so often are) playing the news. A woman with black hair spoke, her voice too muffled and far to hear, as words scrolled beneath her. Then the scene changed, he froze, shocked to be staring at himself. 'Missing' was in bold, red letters, plastered above his picture. The scene held as the information was read out, and once again it changed. It changed to show a place way too familiar. _The clinic! _Another news caster stood in front of the clinic speaking with his parents and... They were _crying_. His body instantly reacted with a swift, large, painful inhalation. His throat tightened, his eyes growing wider and wider the longer he watched the scene play out. _No...They were still going through this because of him? No...No! No! No!_

He snapped his eyes shut. "I want to go back."

"Huh? But we've just made it into town." Shinji whined.

Ichigo's clenching fist tugged on his sleeve. "Please, let's just go back."

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

With a bit of complaining on Shinji's part they did return back to the others. When the others asked Shinji what was wrong with the kid all he could do was frown and admit he didn't know. This had been a completely new experience for the Vaizard as well. Since Ichigo was still young and inexperienced they literately had to put in a group effort to raise him. After all, it takes a group of banished shinigami-hollow hybrids to raise a child.

"Berry-chan..." Mashiro murmured, staring after their jointively 'adopted' child.

Ichigo had fallen deep within a pit of confusion. Confusion as to what he was doing, if it was the right thing or not... To the top; that's where he decided he would go. As a shinigami getting there would be simple enough. He located the glove the Vaizard used when necessary to assist him and/or take off their own gigai.

He slipped it over his own hand and seized a handful of his hair, successfully yanking himself out of his body. He lifted his discarded body onto his back, carrying it up to the crate that, since that first night, had basically been deemed his bedroom. Glancing back at himself thoughtfully, he looked down his black robes. _I think, maybe..._ just going up to the top to think wasn't going to get him anywhere.

His hand slowly rose up towards his face. _That it's not fair. Here I am, trying to be happy, and still they're like this. _He'd never seen his mother cry before, yet now she was sobbing! _It's because of me... My parents aren't the type of people who would ever give up. So, I'm being quite horrible towards them. _He clenched, for the very first time those two weeks daring to even attempt it. For the very first time in a reverse of six years the white particles shaped the boney mask over his face.

The power coiled through his veins like an icy snake . As he lowered his hand every solitary movement of a muscle sent an influx of energy all through his body. What he'd felt the other day didn't even measure up to this! He was shaking all over, down to the very core of his bone marrow. Compared to the first time; the warmth, the exhilaration, this felt vicious! The mere malignance of it was so strong that he, himself felt frightened.

This is what he was, his 'true form'. He understood now why _He _had so entirely despised this hollow power. It broke down the barriers that encaged possibilities; yet deep within his gut he was disgusted with himself. Disgusted that each atom was osculating with the essence of one of those _things_. _Those monsters_. That so strongly he could feel the slumbering creature deep within him.

Ichigo understood then; facing his own peacefully sleeping corpse. _We are not separate. No matter how far I got from it; we're eternally meshed. Staying farther away from being human isn't going to relieve my guilt, just like running away from it won't eventually make Mama and Daddy feel better. If they'd never give up on me, does that mean they'd never stop crying?_

He recoiled slightly in recession, holding his masked face in his hands. _I can't do this!_

His form vanished completely from where it had stood in a static-type fashion.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Shinji sighed in an overly woeful manner as he strapped on the apron. It was his turn to cook the evening meal. Hiyori seemed to be snickering at him from afar, having won a small bet and given him her turn. His other friends were hanging around too, whither out of natural habit of sticking together or because they had nothing better to do then sit around in the same room and occasionally converse or argue. As the water started to boil he plied open the bag of udon.

"Shinji!" The shout came with a great tidal of hollow-like reiatsu.

"Hn?" Shinji turned around, seeing exactly what he thought he might see (gauging the reiatsu).

Their pseudo-offspring's face was concealed beneath an eerie white mask, deep red stripes nearly halving it between the two colors. Ichigo's fingers hooked the eye holes, he slipped it to the right side of his head, over his ear; revealing a distressed visage.

Ichigo's large, luminous, yellow orbs gleamed with anguish, his hands moved exaggeratedly. "I can't stay here! I have to go back! I don't know how I'm going to take care of this... but I'll figure something else out!"

"Okay, it's alright." Shinji held up a cautious hand. The others were on their feet at full attention. These people were combat experts, some of their knowledge unparalleled, yet, they were hopeless when a youngling began breaking down on them. When no one else took charge Hiyori stepped forth, right up to said breaking child. She firmly grabbed his mask with her right hand and swirled it back over his face.

"Calm down." Hiyori commanded in a rather authorative tone. "We aren't stopping you from doing anything so there's no point in shouting at us."

She cracked the mask, it disappeared mid-crumble. All that malicious energy washed out of him; the enormous pressure relieved. The black in his eyes pulled back leaving them once again a mellow amber. With that power suddenly gone he felt deprived of any strength at all.

His legs gave out and without meaning to he fell into the blonde, pig-tailed girl. His body still shaking uncontrollably, as if his mere human structure was about to crumble.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

It was hard enough with him gone, but seeing his face at chance places on billboards, bus sides, and backs of benches every time she dared to venture into town? Hope was dying, and it was killing her.

Tatsuki lazily held up her head as she stared blankly at the black board. Soon the bell would ring and her last class would begin.

"What'dya think happened to Kurosaki?" Snickered one of the boys, right behind her. Of course she understood this was all to bother her, so Tatsuki clenched her fist and held back her frustrations.

"He's probably just run away." Laughed another one of the boys. "Realized what's good for him."

Her knuckles turned white. The one who responded was the one she despised the most, the one who'd given her best friend the hardest time and the overall ringleader.

"Or maybe he's dead!" The same boy cackled, taking a stab at Tatsuki's emotions. "Laying in some ditch somewhere, his puny carcass slowly rotting away."

One second the boy was leering at the back of her head, the next he was on the ground, his trachea completely blocked off by two very determined hands. Her small legs successfully pinned his arms down so that he could not fight against her.

"I'm so sick of big, ugly, brutes like you! You don't even know him so don't you ever even speak his name! I'm so sick I'm done!" She cried, tightening her clasp on the boy's throat. He was petrified, fighting hard to breath. Only low choking sounds escaped his gaping lips. Three of the other boys tore Tatsuki off of him as Ms. Suzuki pulled him back away from her. Her fingernails left long, red scratches along his neck.

"If it turns out you've done something to him, if you ever touch a single hair on his precious little orange head then I swear to you... I swear I'll kill you!" Tatsuki shrieked, nearly breaking out of her captors clutch. Ms. Suzuki was helping the boy up, although he was as white as a ghost he smirked at her. If such a small comment could cause this then he definitely had gotten to her.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

"D'you really wanna go?" Mashiro pouted.

Ichigo blinked, his eyes on the verge of complete blankness. _I don't know what else I'm supposed to do._ "Yeah."

It wasn't that he didn't want to go back... after all this it felt wrong. It was wrong. But what else was he going to do? When he couldn't stand seeing them like that. _I'll figure something out._ He repeatedly swore.

"Shinji! I don't want little Berry-chan to go!" Mashiro bawled. "It's not fair, why does Berry-chan have to go? He was just starting to get used to it!"

"He can go back if he wants." Kensei growled at her, annoyed.

To be basic they were saying their good-byes. In a semi-circle they surrounded him, stating this and that as he clung onto his school bag. It was as if he had to remake his entire decision_. I'll figure it out. I'll figure it out._

Shinji looked off to the side awkwardly. "If there's something ya need help with you can always ask, alright?"

"Thank you." Ichigo thanked.

"Or if you ever want to come back I don't think that would bother anyone." Shinji continued.

"Even if you just wanted to visit." Mashiro added with a grin.

"Alright, well, take care of yourself. Don't talk to strangers and you might want to revise that story of yours; it really doesn't make any sense." Shinji suggested, raising his hand in goodbye.

In response Ichigo flung his arms around Shinji's waist in a sudden hug. Shinji looked down, thoroughly shocked. "I will."

"Aw!" Mashiro squealed. "I want a hug from Berry-chan!"

"Y'know, kid. People don't usually give good-bye hugs to their kidnappers." The tall, blonde Vaizard notified.

"They don't usually hang around for two weeks either." Love reminded.

Ichigo released him and took a step back. "I don't think it's fair to call you guys my kidnappers anymore. Looking past everything I guess I did have a pretty decent time with you guys and I think I'll miss you."

In turn he gave each (beginning with Mashiro) a good-bye hug as well. A few of them seemed a bit uncomfortable about it, tensing up when he did so. Not to mention his arms didn't even fit around Hachigen. Lastly was Hiyori, the one closest to his height.

"Shorty." She smirked.

"Not for long, I'll grow!" he defended.

After all was said and done he nervously rocked back and forth. "I guess that's it then... Shinji, Mashiro, Kensei, Love, Lisa, Rose, Hachigen, Hiyori; I'm sure we'll meet again."

"Will you be alright by yourself?" Shinji asked.

Ichigo nodded. "I know my way home so I'll live."

Without another exchanged word the small child exited the human-sized door. Several seconds after he'd left Mashiro bit her bottom lip. "I'm worried about Berry-chan, he seemed upset."

"You mean he's more sullen and down trodden then he's been?" Love asked with a slight air of sarcasm in his voice.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

"Of course they're going to ask what happened..." Ichigo muttered, watching carefully where he went. After a few strange complexes he passed into a lot of blue and red cargo containers. This whole place was a bit old and worn from weather._ I wonder what I should say when they ask? I'll have a lot of explaining to do... right now what they need protected from is my choice._

Ichigo felt a shiver run down his spine. He turned up to the still cloudy sky. _Why?_ He tried to shake off the feeling and continue.

"...you finally came out to play?" Inquired a throaty growl. Ichigo stiffened. "I've been waiting so long; I was beginning to think you were never going to come out by yourself."

Ichigo swiveled around to find an enormous figure looming behind him. Its chalk-white mask was like a giant crescent; both the top of his head and chin were pointed, curling back. Its black skin shaped an hourglass-like contour. All four limbs were the same; four light grey ball formed joints extendedly connected. The last of these 'balls' had four very long claw-fingers that protruded down to the ground. The large, gaping hole was placed perfectly in the dead centre of its back.

"A-a hollow?" Ichigo gaped.

"What's the matter? Are you scared, little shinigami?" It snarled, a long blue tongue rolling out of its mouth. The creature moved forward, its claws clicking against the asphalt. Its left hand rose, its third claw jutting into the middle of his chest in a light poke. "Why don't you take off the meat sack, little shinigami?"

Perspiration trailed down his skin, his heart beat fast and strong. That thing was so close to him... it touched him. _I don't need to be afraid... the others aren't very far at all; they'll feel it. _The hollow caught Ichigo's eyes glance in the direction of the shed. It drew its hand back.

"Are you still hoping those others will come to help you?" The hollow snickered. "We hollows each were born with different abilities, I know it's not the most awe-inspiring but I'm rather proud of mine. You see, I'm quite talented with completely masking my presence so that not even the Soul Society and their fancy gadgets can track me."

It felt as if his whole body just seized up. Since last time he had a core deep fear of these things. _Calm down, calm down_. He willed himself.

"Come now, little shinigami, if you're not gonna even fight me then I'll just have to eat you like that." The hollow guffawed.

Ichigo backed up several sets of slow paces. His eyes darting around in search of a weapon, an escape route; some sort of savor_. A stick!_ _It'll have to do._ It was laying on the ground several feet to his left. _One, two, three!_ At that instant he jolted towards his goal. Ichigo snatched it just in time to smack away another outstretching hand.

The creature seemed disappointed. "A piece of wood, little shinigami? Can you not be a shinigami right now? Oh, poor, poor little shinigami; this isn't your lucky day."

It rose up like a cat stretching its back. What an easy and filling meal he would make. The strange crescent like head lowered closer to his level. Then it took off; bolting towards him.

Ichigo didn't run, trying to remember the few fighting basics he learned. The first was whenever battling a hollow, always go for the mask. He didn't dodge, he didn't flinch or freeze.

Rather he charged, meeting the beast half-way he brought the wooden rod down with every bit of force he could muster up onto the center of its boney forehead.

To his horror it splintered and snapped; the entire top half of his stick somersaulted through the air. The hollow wrenched its hand between them and clawed the boy away. "What's that, little shinigami? Do you really think that would work?"

Its sharp claws tore through his clothing and left four deep scratches across his torso and upper arms as they flung him backwards. Hitting the asphalt hurt, he smacked into it, sliding backwards. _Dang it!_ He found himself on his hands and knees, small trickles of warm, red liquid rolled down his arms. _This can not be happening! _Clicking signaled the coming of the large beast. _One of those things..._ it felt as if the contents of his stomach had turned rancid, threatening to come up. _How could timing be any worse?! How can I stand up to that thing?! It didn't work_... It was too close, instincts kicked in and he scrambled away as fast as he could. The wound throbbed as his heart beated, staining his white school shirt with the deep shaded blood.

His scramble climbed into a run as he wanted nothing more at that moment then to get away. Ambers clenched tight, those long fingers wrapped around his body. The fourth shoved itself into his mouth as he screamed.

"Now, now. You should keep quiet. We don't want to be interrupted, do we, little shinigami?" The hollow rose up on its two back legs, drawing the child towards its mouth.

Ichigo chomped down but the claw was coarse and hard; the monster didn't seem to even notice. Terror raged like a thunder storm in his innocent eyes, his nerves just about snapping from the way they were being stressed. The black crater; the hollow's mouth opened wide, it felt as if Death himself were staring Ichigo in the face.

It was strange how he suddenly felt as if he were falling backwards, then a flurry of motion found him quickly displaced. Instead he was pressed up against something billowing and black. He couldn't even comprehend what had just happened.

"Just thought I'd return the favor, _kozou_." Commented a familiar voice. Rukia stood on top one of the red cargo containers, Ichigo tucked under one arm, her Zanpaktou in the other, and a wide smirk on her face.

Ichigo looked up at her in astonishment. "Rukia!"

In a flash they were in another section on the ground. Rukia set him down, making sure he was steady enough to stand before releasing him. "I'll be back in a minute, just hang here and stay out of my way."

He nodded, still in a daze from the fast pace of things. With that she was gone, back to purify that monster. Oh, how he hated them so! Yet he could still feel it inside him, thusly promising him an eternity without sanctuary, because even Kurosaki Ichigo would never be able to sanction himself from who he was.

Ichigo sat down, his legs were still quaking and any day he would prefer to give them a break then to spontaneously fall over. _Thank you so much_. His right hand gripped at his chest, wishing he could just tear away the pain.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

"My arm!" The hollow shrieked, glaring at the disembodied limb. "You took my arm and my food! You will pay with your life!"

When Rukia reappeared it didn't waste a second, lunging at her. Its eyes burned with furry. Rukia caught the four claws of the remaining hand on her blade and pushed them off. The hollow leaned far back, a clawed foot nearly caught her.

Rukia dodged backwards, trying to work towards a clear shot to the head. The hollow's limbs twisted so that it was still up right, its back to her. _Yes!_ She jumped onto its back, positioning her Zanpaktou for the perfect attack. Unbeknownst to her the limb's four joints simplified the whole reaching aspect. Its hand swatted her off, sending the small shinigami trailing up into the air.

"What's the matter, shinigami? Weren't you trying to kill me for hurting your friend?" The hollow sneered.

"Hadou no sanjuuichi, Shakkahou!" Rukia shouted from above. A sparkling red ball slammed into its shoulder. The hollow howled in anger, kicking off into the air towards her. They were locked; the hollow doing everything in its power to get to her, and Rukia doing everything she could to fend it off.

Unfortunately the hollow had the advantage; its claws pierced through the lose folds of her shihakushou. The hollow forced her down as they plummeted back to earth.

The asphalt cracked beneath them. Rukia winced, the hollow's claws pinned her down, two above either shoulder, two on either side of her mid-section. Thinking fast, Rukia brought up her legs and somersaulted backwards. Her shihakushou tore at the points; giving her sleeves a shredded look.

"What?!" It growled. She rolled back again, hopping onto her feet, she swirled her Zanpaktou in a clock-like fashion.

"Dance, Sode no Shirayuki." Her voice was calm and cool. As the katana twirled the blade, the hilt, the guard, the entire sword turned white. "This battle is over, hollow. Some no mai, Tsuki Shiro!"

A faint white circle circumferenced the hollow but it catapulted itself out of the way just in time to escape the upward streaking ice. It landed right next to her. This had to be the toughest hollow she'd faced in the Living World so far. Tiny ice crystals clung to its back legs, but the attack failed to even harm it.

"You seem surprised, shinigami, that your little tricks aren't working." It scoffed, standing on its back legs. "Then perhaps I should ease your confusion and tell you now you don't even stand a chance. For I am an Adjuchas. My name is Klaue Kriecher."

"An Adjuchas?!" Rukia gaped. She'd read about them in her textbooks but she hadn't even seen a Menos Grande in real life! Now she was at least uncertain as to whither or not she could defeat it. Simply; was she strong enough to do this by herself? "Tsugi no mai, Hakuren!"

A cylindrical stream of ice shot at it, the beast rose its arms in protection as the frozen parade hit. Klaue Kriecher opened its mouth, a glowing red ball formed as the frozen water engulfed and tried to pass its arm. The cero fired straight through the center of the mass. Rukia barely saw it coming but managed to dodge by a hair. The Hakuren completely melted from the cero, allowing Klaue Kriecher to swiftly catch up to her.

Rukia struggled to keep a tight grip on her Zanpaktou, she tried to keep alert, instinctual, and battle ready but she simply wasn't fast enough. She wasn't prepared for it to be right there as soon as her dodge landed foot! It was a hollow! Since when did the hollows gain such a combination of skill and speed?_ It's an Adjuchas_, she reminded herself. Unprepared and open; Klaue swiped her into one of the metal cargo containers.

Klaue's claws lifted up, its palm pressed hard on the fallen Shinigami's back. "Good-bye, shinigami."

Rukia tried to worm away from the crushing pressure but she was immobilized. A loud crack symbolized the cracking of one of her ribs. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to push past it to escape, a small trail of blood carefully trickling from the corner of her mouth.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Ichigo finally removed his hand to look at it; the palm and fingers were stained red. As far as he could remember the only thing more painful had been the last time he'd been attacked by a hollow. That time at least he wasn't conscious enough to sit and watch himself bleed. He had no clue as to how much blood was too much, no clue how deep the cuts were or how serious it was.

He turned his head to look down the aisle. Did it normally take her this long? The time he went with her it had been a rather quick job to dispose of the monster. "Rukia..."

"We leave you on your own for five minutes..." Started a scolding voice. Hiyori hopped down and landed in front of him. "You've already managed to get into trouble."

"Hiyori, what are you doing here?" Ichigo asked, surprised.

"You seriously think we'd let a half-pint baby wander home? I'm here to make sure you were getting along okay. Luckily we saw to it, huh? You're in quite a rut. Tell me, how long has it been? ...like 15 minutes at the most." Hiyori joisted.

"It was more like 20. You know you started by saying five?" He asked.

"I was exaggerating! And 20 is pushing it. Forget time though, it looks like that shinigami friend of yours could use some help. We're not really looking for a mess with the shinigami right now so..." She pulled the blue glove out of her pocket. "What would you say to one last go, for good-byes sake?"

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

She pushed up on her elbows. _I can get out of this; just focus._ But she was unfortunately feeling rather weak at the moment.

"Hollow." When she heard the voice her whole forcing motion stopped. _What?! He wouldn't! _There was a reason she had gotten him out of there before she fought it. But when she finally succeeded in willing her head to turn it wasn't what she had expected. The boy was there, standing behind the hollow, but he was wearing a shihakushou!

Klaue Kriecher halted, looking at the boy. "What's this? Little Shinigami, you finally decided to face me out of that gigai? Hmm... two shinigamis! What a treat. Though your soul smells especially delicious, little shinigami."

It looked consciously at Rukia as it removed its hand, trying to decide whether not-so-little shinigami was going to pose a problem.

"Ichigo! What are you doing?!" She gaped, astonished by his attire.

With both hands Ichigo grabbed the hilt that was protruding from behind. In a surprisingly clever (though, perhaps dangerous) conduct he leaned forward and slide it up his spinal path; flipping it forward right before the tip reached the back of his head. The blade fell hard on the ground, his Zanpaktou too heavy for him to even hold.

"What are you doing, little shinigami? You can't even wield your weapon! What a foolish boy." Klaue rose up, another small red ball forming in front of its open mouth.

"Watch out!" Rukia shouted, clambering to her feet.

With no hesitation, no dawdling, he plunged deep into that power. With complete, seeming ease he flipped through the air right as the cero blasted at him. A red line appeared on Klaue Kriecher's right arm as Ichigo landed gently above Rukia. Blood sprayed out as the entire limb fell with a thud. Klaue reeled with an angry howl, now left completely armless.

Ichigo grinned, his eyes swirling with a shallow blue. Zangetsu's minacious glory was at last held up in battle stance by its wielder's small hands. The power helped with the weight a lot, plus the more he used the lighter Zangetsu felt, and the easier it was for him to attempt that kind of tricky maneuvering.

"Little shinigami!" Klaue snapped around. "You deceiving brat! I will tear your soul to shreds!"

Rukia's hand began glowing green as she pushed on her ribcage, too astonished to interject or interfere.

The hollow was becoming a rather poor one, without its razor sharp claws up front it was hardly possible to attack-defend combinedly. It seemed to be growing increasingly frustrated.

"Don't think that's all I've got, little shinigami!"

It was so fast that Ichigo could just barely see it pounce. Klaue just about landed on top of him, Ichigo swung up Zangetsu. He stopped both clawed feet but now he was under all that weight. His arms shook in remonstration. _Too heavy_. As quickly as he could he pulled more and more of that power out.

"Ichigo!" He heard Rukia scream. "He's going to do it again!"

Ichigo gazed up in time to see another beam headed straight down at him. _Shoot!_ His teeth clenched, he forced the doubt out of his being. "Getsuga Tenshou!"

A blue crescent of light fired up, completely splitting both the cero and Klaue Kriecher in half.

Rukia gawked at the scene. "Woah..."

Ichigo hopped down, wiping the sweat off his forehead with the back of his arm. Zangetsu wrapped itself back up and he placed it on his back as the blue faded from his eyes. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. I never realized you had it in you. That was incredible, _kozou_!" She praised.

He smiled tiredly. "It certainly takes it out of you."

The two stood across from each other, eyes meeting with a full flood of curiosity. He ran his hand through his golden locks. "What were you doing out here?"

"I was looking for you." Rukia stated firmly.

He was surprised. "You were looking for me?"

"Of course. I never got a chance to return that book and I really didn't want to lug it around with me." She responded. Then abruptly; "My turn, how did you get out of your body?"

Ichigo tilted his head to the side in careful consideration. "Maybe I'm just that awesome?"

"I don't know if that's what I'd call it..." She replied. "But at least you're funny."

He nodded. "At least that."

"C'mon, _kozou_. I'm gonna take you home."

His eyes lingered on the surrounding setting. "Thank you for saving me...and thank you for looking for me."

"You were with those people in the book...the ones with the masks, right?" She asked as they casually walked back towards his body.

"How did-"

Rukia grinned. "I'd already guessed that, I was almost to this place when I suddenly felt your reiatsu again. When I got to it I was just in time too."

"Well you're either a very perceptive person or a very good guesser..." He commented.

Rukia still had the healing kidou pressed into her chest. She glanced over at him. "Why were you gone for so long, and why did you leave in the first place?"

Silence on his part as he didn't respond. _What would I say? _His guts wrenched. Rukia watched that smile fall away. Apparently she was asking the wrong questions...

"Hey, Rukia?" He finally asked.

"What is it, _little shinigami_?" She attempted to lighten his mood.

"I...I really..." He tried to say, but he couldn't.

"What is it?" She urged.

"I just wanted to say that I'm glad I met you." He lied.

"Oh...well, you know I have to assume that the book is real, considering you and _this_. So I guess I'm glad too."

It felt awkward between them. At last they turned the corner and found his lifeless corpse. Rukia frowned, rounding on him. "I didn't realize you were injured!"

Ichigo grabbed his chest. "Yeah, it's not that bad though. I think my reiatsu stopped the bleeding."

She sighed. "I'll see what I can do but I've used a lot of it to heal myself."

xXXxXXx

The afternoon had grown late, the setting sun teasing that yet another day had gone by. _How many days have gone by? _It hurt to realize he didn't know. But what hurt even more was to remember it was the 15th... _his_ birthday. Isshin rubbed his eyes sleepily.

Business at the clinic hadn't been going too well, no one wanted to be an intrusion on the doctor. To make up for the lack of work and funds some of the towns people had given them donations to help support their local doctor in this difficult time. The Kurosaki's had reluctantly, but very gratefully accepted.

Isshin turned the coffee cup in a circle, the block of reflected light on the counter wavered as he did so. _I made a promise, that I can't risk not keeping. _Masaki meekly wandered into the kitchen, dark circles surrounding her dazzling eyes from lack of sleep. "I made coffee."

Her shorter form leaned into him, his arms gently wrapping her in a comforting hug. She welcomed his loving embrace. There was such a nagging feeling, it wasn't anything new, but he could swear that he felt his son's reiatsu. He'd been continually tormented these past two weeks by these hope-born delusions. Soon as they came they disappeared, making him understand that nothing had been there in the first place. So he made no move to alert his wife, knowing he would not be able to watch her reaction when it revealed itself as a figment of his imagination.

Isshin kissed the top of her head. _How long will this hallucination last? I've been able to feel it for a while now._ He stopped, his dark eyes tracing nonexistent lines. _It's coming closer...it's...it's..._ "It's real."

"What's real?" Masaki asked. Isshin grabbed her shoulders, his eyes flickering with excitement. Unable to contain himself, he started laughing. _It's real! It's real! It's really him! _Masaki gave a strange, uncomfortable look. "What is it? What's going on?"

He stared hard into her eyes. "I can feel him. C'mon!"

Isshin tugged her arm as he bolted into the living room where the twins were watching a movie. Without warning he scooped both up under one arm. Masaki stuttered as she followed his out-the-door sprint. "W-what do you mean? Wait, Isshin!"

They ran up the street till the sun shine suddenly lit up a familiar face several houses ahead. Masaki halted, gasping for air in mere disbelief. As bright and as orange as the sun itself; her son was walking idly, his entire attention devoted to the empty space beside him as he intriguingly chattered to himself. Her hands gripped onto her husbands sleeve, as if she were about to fall off the edge of the world. She couldn't believe it! He was actually there! He was home. She broke down, choking on a mixture of sobs and laughter.

The little girls squirmed, not very comfortable in their fathers arm. "Dwaddy! I wanna see!"

Ichigo stopped short, his lips slowly closing as his eyes came to rest on the small group. Not a second passed, he was flying down the street.

"Ichi?" Rukia blinked at his sudden departure, she followed his path and saw exactly what made him react. The tall brunette ran towards him, with the force they collided there should have been a _BOOM!_

He was tangible! Masaki hugged every last bit of him in an enormous, bone-crushing embrace. Her arms were so welcoming, so comforting. Each felt as if they could hold on forever.

"Thank God! Thank God you're alright!" She cried, her hands shaking as they moved up to his head. "Thank goodness you're okay!"

"Mama." He sniffed, having missed her dearly.

Isshin set the girls down, they ran down the sidewalk and combinedly hurled themselves into the enfold. Isshin couldn't stop grinning and laughing, unable to believe Ichigo was right there! How did that even work?! His eyes narrowed, gaze lifting back up to that black figure. _Wow..._

When Masaki extremely reluctantly let him go he caught his father looking at the shinigami. _He can see. _Ichigo rubbed the tears from his eyes; he put on a smile as he gestured behind him. "Mama, Daddy, this is Rukia."

"As in Kuchiki Rukia?" Masaki implored through shock, even though she couldn't see anything.

Rukia bowed shortly. "You must be Mr. and Mrs. Kurosaki?"

Ichigo noticed his father looked troubled. "She saved me."

"Saved you...?" Masaki's voice had an emptiness. "From what?"

"A hollow." Ichigo answered carefully. "I'm alright, Rukia healed me some so I'm fine." He was trying to make things sound better but it wasn't quite working.

"Well," Isshin declared." Seems we have a lot to talk about."

xXxXXxXXxXXxXXx

"Well, she did pretty good. Let me just put on some antibiotics so it won't get infected." His father said in a very doctorly way. Ichigo sat up on the table, his ruined shirt in a heap beside him as his father gave him a check up.

What was it? Like 10-ish? Man, time went fast. "I want to take a shower first."

"Oh, go ahead. It might sting though." Isshin warned even so still smiling to think they actually had him back! That he was alive...and well...and home. That the wondering and worrying had at last come to an end. This was undeniably his son. Yet, he noted that the glow seemed to have faded. That made him bite his bottom lip and allow his thoughts to traverse the question of what had happened to his son those past two weeks.

Ichigo slipped off the table. The dust, the grim, the lingering remembrance of that hollow's rock-like fingers curled around his body. He didn't care if it stung he had to wash it away. He walked up the stairs, feeling absolutely odd. As if he were... out of place... there but still detached. Not to mention that what he had told them when they asked what had happened was the same thing he told the policeman that came to talk to him and the same thing he'd tell those media reporter people tomorrow; he didn't remember. Perhaps not the best answer but he falsely swore he didn't. Once concealed by the shadows and angles he stopped, straining his ears.

xX

Masaki's crystal like eyes gleamed, her nose scrunched. She didn't want him to leave, if she could've she would've never even let him out of her arms. She sighed to her husband. "We can't do this anymore."

"What are you talking about Masaki?" Isshin asked, washing his hands in the sink.

"The hollows! Once was a tragedy but twice?! It's too much! It's too dangerous for him." Masaki complained.

Isshin dried his hands. "What do you suppose we do about it?"

"If his life is in danger we can't just allow him to wonder around."

Isshin nodded in half-agreement. "But we can't just coop him up in the house, he's a growing kid. He needs fresh air and room to grow."

"This is twice in less then a month! It's not some rare, random chance. This is serious! What if next time there's no one there to save him? I don't like seeing your little son sit before you as a patient for something that we haven't done a thing to protect him against. He can't just be on his own. I don't want another hollow to get their hands on him." She was obviously trying hard to keep her voice down in a hushed tone.

Xx

Ichigo rubbed his face, his eavesdropping having only added more to his palate. He quietly continued, wishing everything didn't feel so messy, wishing Rukia hadn't had to leave so quickly. This whole everything felt sticky. _Because it's wrong?_

He grabbed some pj's from his room before going into the bathroom. _Ssss_; the hot water splattered on the linoleum floor of the shower stall. He tested the temperature again before getting in. _I'm still waiting for the fuzzy, warm feeling that you get when you do something right. I've tried both options and had no luck there so how am I supposed to know which is the right one?_ Without any sobbing or weeping a few tears escaped_. I'm here. I'm home. But what am I supposed to do now? I can't take this back... I'm still dangerous to them._ His happiness level had taken a dive into stress since her came back. Every second he was with them who knew if they were absorbing his reiatsu. This darn decision was tearing him into pieces. _I need to do something._ He was too lost; he didn't notice the water increasingly becoming hotter as it streamed down his body. Nor did he notice the intense stinging in his chest. His hands balled into fists, he slammed them onto the wall. His head sunk between his elbows. _What am I supposed to do?!_

**Chapter End**


	11. Rust Colored Vigor

**Chapter 11; Rust-Colored Vigor**

_"Inoue!" He shouted, before breaking into a coughing fit. The air stung his lungs and eyes. Ichigo forced himself up, desperately searching the rubble filled landscape. It looked like an 'end of the world' scene from a sci-fi movie where an alien invasion is wrecking havoc and destroying everything. Most of the buildings in this area were either completely or partially crumbled, filling the streets with bricks and debris. The air was thick with ash, dust, and the powder-remains of the construction materials. From the closest standing building to him a large, black plume towered into the sky, tarnishing the fading star light._

_The smut alit red, catching the glow of a cero fired not too far off. What happened yesterday felt like nothing in comparison. Yesterday they could handle it. Yesterday things were tedious and difficult but they had it all under control. Come nightfall, the novice tactics were deemed useless when the wrath of Aizen's hollow army faced them. It left them with no time to even think of the problems that might have risen between them._

_Ichigo clambered over the lowest portion between two large piles. He ignored the sharp bits that were cutting into his palms and leaving traces of blood on their edges. "Inoue!"_

_Not surprisingly it had become too much for her. So he had voluntarily been taking her to where the squad 4 members had set up shelters and what-not. Simply going from one place to another was simple. He was adult enough, able enough to do it. He wasn't quite sure what happened; he was carrying her, they'd been up in the air near the tops of the sky-scrapers when out of the dark they were ambushed, it felt as if something had slammed into them. This was surprising judging how fast they had been going. The next thing he knew he was on the ground, his kind, long-haired nakama no where insight._

_He was afraid, a fall like that was close to nothing for him but she was a human. He raised his hand to his mouth to amplify the sound. "Inoue! Can you hear me?"_

If only I was better with this reiatsu thing! Where are you?_ His foot slipped, in a small wave of rubble he slid all the way down the side to the wet pavement. _Ouch._ His whole backside hurt. He gave it a second for the ache to die down before trying to stand up. He grabbed the closest large chunk for support but he unexpectedly touched something cold and fleshy._

_Ichigo looked; his fingers had brushed against a pale-ish hand. Gasping, he drew back. His shock rang in his ears, throat tightening. "Hey?"_

_He was hoping for a response but there wasn't one. Without help from that rubble chunk he stood up. Watching his footing, Ichigo walked around it to find the source of the hand. Slumped against it, body half-covered in rubble was a lone, female shinigami. Her eyes still open, mouth agape. Her torso seemed completely crushed in. She was obviously dead._

_Ichigo instantly clenched his hand over his mouth, his body heaved from the gruesome sight. Here, in this under-belly of the chaos, what else was there to find but such depressing sites? He scrambled away, his eyes noticeably watery. The stench of mild decay still stung his nose. Somehow he managed to push past the need to puke, it felt as if he were swimming in sweat. His heart palpitated wildly._

_He wiped the sweat off his face, trying to regain composer. That was the first uncovered body he'd come across during the war. The image stuck in his mind but he tried to continue. His voice was weaker than before. "Inoue?"_

I have to find her. I have to get her out of this place._ At least now he could see the tall, whole buildings ahead. At least the entire town wasn't like this; where black seemed the prominent color. To think, not a hollow stronger then a Menos had showed up, yet there were already parts that looked like this. He halted, realizing he'd forgotten something. _Where's Zangetsu?

Great! I lost both of them in a place like this._ As loud as he could he called again, his tone beginning to hint at desperation. "Inoue?!"_

_His eyes strained, finally catching the hardly audible reply. "...Kuro...Kurosaki-kun?"_

_Stumbling around in a circle, his eyes plied through the black. "Hold on, I'm coming! ...Where are you?"_

_"Over here!" He heard her voice again but it seemed to echo all around him. The ground trembled. All around him rumbled as the rubbish shifted unsteadily. She had finally responded but for some reason his worry just kept increasing. She was there, and yet he couldn't find her._

_Ichigo barely managed to not trip over the inconveniently scattered scraps. When he didn't respond for a length of time he heard her shout again, worriedly. "Kurosaki-kun?"_

_Her voice sounded closer, detectable. In a hurry Ichigo shuffled over a broken, angled piece of asphalt. Sounds suddenly seemed to come from all over; some from the turmoil surrounding them, other's origins were unknown. He had at last been beginning to feel at ease when he heard a frightened scream from the direction he was headed. Once his feet hit the ground he was instantly off, running as fast as he could go. His feet kept catching onto things as he raced through the dark, making him seem like an unsteady mess. What it was on the ground below him he didn't care to look. "Inoue! Hang in there!"_

It's my fault she's down here in the first place, if I hadn't been so careless! _Ichigo's adrenalin pumped determination through his veins. Slowly, slowly, the darkness was growing lighter. Objects and his over all surroundings seemed more there._

_At last he spotted her! Amidst an encircling of ten or fifteen grinning hollows. Tsubaki streaked through the nearest, destroying it. But the fall of their comrade angered them. Tsubaki plowed horizontally through another one's head. Despite her strange fairy with hollow killing capabilities both she and they knew she would eventually fall prey to their numbers. That was when the representative stepped in, easily breaking into the core of that little party. Before they knew it he was standing on top one of the oddly-shapen white heads, Orihime over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes._

_Ichigo smiled in a cocky way. "Too slow."_

_"Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime shouted with a relieved smile. As swift as lightening he carried her. They were down the back of that one, out of that collection of now angry, annoyed hollow, and up the steep incline of yet another desolated building. Orihime couldn't help but marvel at how fast, and amble... and strong he was. He halted abruptly, catching a distant glint of metal._

_"Kurosaki-kun!? They're coming! They're coming!" She squeaked watching the hollows crawl up behind them. _Why'd he stop?!

_"Don't worry." He coaxed, changing his direction towards the object that had caught his attention. Pounding, thumping, crunching sounds warned him of the hollows pursuit. His feet moved with surprising ease over the uneven, jagged pile. _Is it?_ The darkness was slowly lightening, the shape gained more definition_. It is! It's Zangetsu!

_Ichigo's free hand was already groping the air, his fingers impatiently yearning to clasp onto its hilt. Seeing its striking form protruding from the rubble was enough to click him back into a more regular mind set. They didn't stop or slow; he grabbed the hilt and, as he tore it out of the ground, blue flowed into it. The streak of its removal sent a ferocious crescent at their pursuers._

_It must have destroyed one or two because the upset sounds heightened. Ichigo kicked off the ground, jetting them up into to the air, and away from that wretched place. "I'm sorry about that, are you alright, Inoue?"_

_Orihime's head twisted back, she wished she could see his face. "I'm alright, thank you, Kurosaki-kun."_

Good._ He thought. They got higher and higher till they broke through the ugly black smog. Orihime felt utterly tranced by the wondrous view. The smog spread out like a rippling terrace beneath them. The sky had changed from its star-spangled blue-black to a breath-taking mixture of jade and purple that was dotted with little fading lights. Singularly stranded streaks of sunlight had finagled their way over the distant peaks. They couldn't see the ground, nor the shinigami, nor the hollows; it was as if they (her in her awkward position over his shoulder) were alone. It was so terrifying and yet exhilarating at the same time._

When I don't have her to worry about I'll come back and clean this place out._ Ichigo vowed as he made his way over the black smog._

_As Orihime was watching behind them several large, winged hollows burst up through the black. "Kurosaki-kun! Behind you!"_

_Ichigo picked up his pace. "Don't worry about it. They're just hollows; they can't keep-"_

_He was cut short as one of the large creatures barreled into him from the underlying layer of soot-cloud. The unexpected SMACK! was followed by the redirection of momentum; Ichigo and Orihime were propelled higher into the sky. His arms struck out, gathering friction. They slowed to a stop but once he had released her Inoue slipped off his back._

_"Kuro-saki-kun!" She screamed. Unlike him she was not as agile and steady in the empty space... She fell like a stone in water, tumbling through the vast blue ocean of the sky._

_"Inoue!" He felt rather stupid, to be frank. She puffed away through the black cloud. The hollow was still hovering around, it watched the girl... the creature licked his lips and pursued her parachute-less free-fall, but before it could gain any measure of distance it found itself in two large pieces that slowly disintegrated away._

_Ichigo could go much faster then she could fall, wisps of that smog trailed behind him as he broke back through to the dark world. The pack of tracking hollows dive-bombed after him. The mainly-orange-ish form was directly bellow him, the sole of his attention on the task at hand._

_She would scream, but the rushing wind took her breath away. She was so stunned she hardly even felt the fear that was bashing away at her insides as she fell farther and farther. She knew the ground had to be coming...soon. _I hope Kurosaki-kun is okay..._ The moment the thought finished the falling just about stopped; arms secured her. "Kurosaki-kun!"_

_His expression was extremely serious. Ichigo caught her in both arms. He was glad he did but he only seemed tense. He managed uprightness but they were still falling. Attentively he checked behind them. The hollows were still pretty far back. _What should I do...?_ Ichigo's thought process was interrupted; a sudden, red beam shot past them from down below, barely missing them. It came so dangerously close; he could feel the heat still warming the air. In a static flash he was crouching on the ground. Tall white-masked menos were slowly gathering around to join in the fun, some how arriving swiftly with their large, clumsy size. _Damn it_. He set Orihime down, reaching for the hilt of his zanpaktou. "Inoue, get behind me."_

_She obeyed the command, tucking herself behind his back. The small, yellow light finally caught up to them, in a glowing-magical sort of way it disappeared back into her hairclip; Tsubaki. Normal hollows hadn't given Ichigo so much trouble since the very beginning. _You can do it_, she pressed her hands together. _I know you can.

There's nothing to be worried about. I've still got quite a few tricks up my sleeves._ Bits of condensed reiatsu, slivers of black-red, visibly began to slip from his body as he raised Zangetsu straight in front of him. Ichigo positioned his hands, his hard amber gaze at the impending enemy. "Bankai!"_

_The reiatsu burst around him. Inoue, so close in proximity, was entwined in that energy. It lacked any texture but felt both freezing and searing at the same time. Her eyes clamped shut as it passed over her, by the time she opened them one of the menos were already tottering backwards._

_"Things are going to get really fast, just shut your eyes, count to twenty, and when you open them we'll be there. Alright?" He breathed. All she could do was nod. "On my go. 5..." He put his hand in front of his face. "4..." The mask quickly formed. "3..." He reached back and grabbed her hand, to which she couldn't help but blush a little. "2...1...GO!"_

_Orihime had hardly even shut her eyes when she felt an almost collision with him, she knew he'd pulled her under his one arm. They were off the ground. Their movement, the air around them, the sounds she heard, it all seemed so violent. 20...19...18... Orihime counted. But one point curiosity bragged her to disobey, she opened her eyes. The speed was awe-striking, the site both dizzying and terrifying. She had to be going the fastest she ever had or otherwise ever would in her entire life. The ground far below and the background of the situation spun. Her stomach seemed to turn with it. Flush against his side she could feel the cadence of his muscles as he swung his sword, as he slowed just long enough to slice through his opponent before again flashing away again bullet-speed. She closed her eyes tight. _How can he even tell where he's going or what he's doing? He truly is amazing, isn't he?

_Orihime was scared but she knew that this boy she thought so dearly of had made a promise to himself. For that she knew that she was extremely safe._

_xXxXXxXXxXXxXx_

_"Whoa..." Renji took the words of both their mouths. "It's a mess here too. Do you see that?" His short companion was already entranced, staring out at Karakura. Not only was the destruction and extent of war blatantly obvious, she could see a furry of what appeared to be black lightening rumbling it's way toward them._

_In a shower of hollow blood she watched it shoot through a Menos. Rukia watched it's progress intently, forgetting entirely about the squadrons filling out behind her. _Wait a minute_. "That's Ichigo!"_

_"What?" Renji followed her gaze. "You don't say... Man, he's fast, isn't he?"_

_"Well, is he alright?" Rukia asked, squinting in hope of getting a glimpse of her friend. Renji put his hand on her shoulder with a reassuring grin._

_"Of course he is! I bet you he's just showing off! You know how he is." Renji laughed._

_A Fourth Division girl with her long, brown, hair in an upward spouting ponytail approached them. "Abarai-fukutaichou, Kuchiki-sama, all the wounded are receiving treatment and the able are awaiting your orders."_

_"Well, we shouldn't keep them waiting, c'mon," Renji began to head off but Rukia quickly grabbed his sleeve._

_"Wait, Renji, look!" The black lightening flashed high into the air before crashing into the lower part of the hill._

_xXxXXxXXxXXxXx_

_He was successful. Truth was, he'd been counting himself and he made sure in those twenty seconds he trashed their pursuers and any hollows along the way. Their 'crash' wasn't elegant at all, the ground gave in to his impact and his power; it bowed into a dusty crater around them._

_Ichigo set his cargo down carefully, she thanked him but he noted how she dodged his blazing, yellow eyes. That thing, the mask, he suddenly wanted it off as soon as possible. He didn't let the fact that she was afraid of him hurt, rather he felt bad for having frightened her._

_His hand was already on it when he saw the two nakama running down the bivouac hillside. His eyes locked with Rukia's as he swiped the mask away. By her expression he knew that she saw, and he knew he was going to get an ear-full later. He allowed himself one heave of exhaustion before composing a straightened stance of importance. "Renji, Rukia!"_

_Orihime, who apparently hadn't even noticed the two till their foot-falls stopped short at her side, grinned insanely wide. "You guys came!"_

_"Of course we came. We're Nakama, aren't we?" Rukia replied, her tone noticeably less scolding then it would have been had she been stating that to Ichigo. "We asked for permission from the Captain to bring some back up."_

_"You guys brought back up?" Ichigo asked. Silently frowning about it himself. He didn't agree with using unranked shinigami in this war. Some of them couldn't even fight a regular hollow without assistance. It was a pitiful waste of their lives. "Which captain did you get permission from?"_

_"Kuchiki-taichou." Renji answered with a smirk as Rukia got that sparkly look in her eyes._

_"I told you he was getting soft." Ichigo snorted._

_"It was only because he said 'That boy will surely destroy the town single-handedly with that chaotic fighting style of his if someone's not there to keep a leash on him'." Rukia explained with a meaningful look._

_"What am I, a dog?" Ichigo grumbled. _A leash? Would Byakuya even use that word?_ It was just a noun but he couldn't see Byakuya using it. _Do they have leashes in the Soul Society?

_"I'd lean more towards a puppy..." Renji stated with a smirk. Ichigo glared at him, but Renji just grinned in response._

_"Hey, listen up, you big buffoons. We have work to do, there's no time to start this now. Renji, there are people still waiting for your orders, why don't you should give them the courtesy of your presence? We'll walk Orihime up before we join you ourselves." Rukia directed._

_Renji grumbled but agreed, striding back up towards his subordinates. Rukia waited a moment, then commanded the other two to follow her._

_"...wasn't that kinda pointless?" Ichigo asked with a dead-pan look of confusion. "I mean, couldn't we have all just walked up at the same time?"_

_"I want to talk to you privately, so it's easier to just shake him now." Rukia answered. Orihime quietly twiddled her thumbs, watching the two walking beside her._

_"I see." Was all he answered, knowing she was making sure he got his ear-full before anything else happened._

xXxXx

_"I thought we talked about this, I thought it was solved!" Rukia shouted with hints of deep frustration. "You left...I thought you had gotten rid of it. But what were you doing...becoming it?"_

_"Hey, it's not like that." He objected. "You don't understand Rukia, I'm not broken, I can't just be fixed. This is the closest thing there is to a permanent fix!"_

_Her deep violets burned into him skeptically. "There is nothing you can do?"_

_"I solved the problems; I crushed him, I can control him now so don't be flippin' out on me, okay?" The intensity between them was burning away._

_"Alright. You better stay out of trouble with that thing." She huffed as she allowed her will to bend to his side of the argument. _

Thanks_. He thought with semi-sarcasm._

_"C'mon, let's get going then, there's a war to fight." She commanded in that strict-ish tone of hers._

_"Yeah, yeah." He muttered, following her from the secluded little spot towards where all the other shinigami were bustling about their tasks. Shouts parted the crowd as several body-filled stretchers were carried up the hill. A ring of surrounding Kidou Corps fired their spells at the groups pursuing hollows, and any others that dared to venture too close._

_Ichigo spotted Inoue helping someone out of one of the tents, when she saw him she quickly finished and ran up to catch him before he left._

"_Are you heading back out there?" Orihime asked._

_"Yeah." He nodded. "I've gotta get back out there."_

_"Well," She gave him an encouraging smile. "Do your best, 'cause I can't wait to eat burgers with Kurosaki-kun and the others."_

_He gave her one of his kindly, gentle smiles. "Me too."_

_Her eyes stayed glued to his back as he hurried off to catch up to Rukia. _Good luck!_ She wished him, not knowing that was the last time she would ever speak to him._

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Ichigo's dripping strands sent an occasional droplet of water down his face. He felt horribly numb. He flipped on the fan, as he left the steamy bathroom for the less humid lengths of hallway. His mother was standing against the wall by where the stairs came up. When she saw him the nervousness that veiled her beautiful face disappeared and she grinned.

Masaki couldn't just hold back. He had been gone for so long, how could she be contented just hanging back? Her son, her beautiful, wonderful child; how dear he was. How precious he was. She was so relieved when he came out. Not being able to see him made his being there just seem like a cruel lie. But now she smiled at him. "Dinner's ready, are you hungry, Ichigo?"

But his eyes averted hers. Masaki walked towards him with a questioning look. He ignored it, emptily he walked past her. In a low voice dripping with regret as his hair did with water he mumbled. "I'm not hungry."

The boy went into his room. Masaki pouted as the door softly closed. _Ichigo? _Here she thought things were becoming alright again. But a thought dawned on her... what if it wasn't? What if he wasn't alright?! Her eyes burned holes into his door. What if... he was hurt?

That was the moment things went back to not-okay. That was the moment Ichigo began pushing himself more and more away. Masaki's eyes swam, standing there she had a chance to go over everything in her head with a new angle. "How could he be okay?"

There was no way he was alright. How could he possibly be just fine? Masaki took a step to the door. "Ichigo?"

She'd been so glad to have him back that she hadn't really thought that he might be lying to them. _What happens to children... if some stranger had their hands on them?_ Her hand covered her mouth as she gasped. _No!_

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

"Urahara." Rukia greeted.

"Kuchiki-san?" The shop-keeper returned the greeting curiously. "What brings you to my shop this time?"

Despite her very serious attitude she couldn't help but grin a little. "I have a challenge to propose to you."

XxXxX

Masaki was as careful as she could; carrying the plate flat so that the curry didn't leak into the veggies. She didn't really have any fingers useable at the moment but mentally she was crossing them. She was hoping that that horribly abandoned air he had when she saw him in the hallway was just her imagination. She held her breath as she twisted the handle.

Ichigo sat on the edge of his bed, trying to plan, and at the same time trying to convince himself to detach. _I can do this but until I have it worked out I have to make sure that I affect them as less as possible. Then they'll be safe. I can fix this, and it will be normal again. If I put it that way... it doesn't sound too hard._

"Hey!" She greeted him. "I brought you up some food."

He felt a bit annoyed; he was trying to accomplish something here. "I said I wasn't hungry."

"Well now, here it is for when you do." Masaki stated, setting it on his desk. "Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm fine, just glad to be home, Mama." I replied as naturally as he could. But his friendliness caused her to decide to sit next to him. _No._

"Now, what's going on in that head of yours? Seems there's something on your mind, do you want to talk about it?"

"I'm fine." He sighed, his voice sounded older than usual. "Could you just please... leave me be?"

"Oh." Masaki frowned, but complied. "Alright." _What am I going to do?_ Like many things in life, it was just getting started.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

The sun had long since set; in fact it was quite late. The small TV buzzed the news although no-one sat there to watch it. Tatsuki held a tall glass beneath the faucet. She could hear the faint mumbles and knew her father must have left it on again. She shut off the water, raising the glass to her lips for a sip. She just couldn't think without her throat tightening and getting the horrid feeling all over. Hoping water would help to ease her throat she'd snuck on down.

Tatsuki opened the fridge and stared at its lighted brilliance in hope of finding something to snack on. The food supply failed her.

Disappointed, she shut the door of the large appliance and resigned herself to going back up to her bedroom. But she stopped at the bottom of the stairs. _Well, I should probably turn off that TV, huh? _Tatsuki walked back to the living room.

The glass cracked into hundreds of pieces upon impact, these pieces were pushed from their source by the now freed tidal of water. The miniscule flood of water and glass rolled out around her bare feet. Her hand was still erect and in cup-holding position. The headline blaring its news into her head; _Missing Child Found_.

Her breath shuttered, her throat was so constricted she could hardly breathe. "He's back."

She was so surprised that no thoughts even went through her mind, that no emotion was transferred or processed. It was almost as if, despite all her hoping, that she never imagined she would have the chance to see him again.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXXxXx

The sun was sinking below the distant horizon, it was late. Rukia returned to her little base of a park with weary accomplishment.

What a hectic day… definitely. And what had followed? How in the world was his father a shinigami? She did not see that one coming. She stopped, realizing that she stepped on something as she entered the sand. Stretched in large, capital letters in the sand was a message she realized was for her. It read; THANK YOU!

_This is from that one girl? _She wandered. _Ichigo's friend. What was her name again? Tatsuki...right?_

Tiredly, she smiled.

xXxXXxXXxXx

"Now calm down, Masaki. I understand what you're saying. I can tell you right now that he is going to be fine. He just got back at first, he was probably just happy to be here. Now that he's over that 'come back shock', if he really did get kidnapped, then his mind must be engrossed in all that happened. He probably does have a lot on his mind and you shouldn't take it personally. I checked him over, and besides the..." Isshin gestured across his chest. "Ichigo is in fine physical condition. Tomorrow more people will come to talk to him and analyze him, so they can find who did this or what happened. If they can't, if we can't make it better in here;" He pointed to his forehead, then to his heart. "And here. Then we'll find someone, a child therapist, someone who will know what they're doing, and we won't stop until he does, okay? The battle's not over yet, but I promise we will win." Isshin was ranting in an attempt to completely comfort his dear hunny-bunny, when there was a loud rapping on the door.

"Who could that be at this hour?" Masaki wondered aloud, trying to sniff away the tears that were still in her eyes.

Isshin rubbed her shoulder as he passed her for the door. Tatsuki pushed her way in before the door was opened all the way. She panted, out of breath. "Where is he? He's here, right?"

"Tatsuki-chan? Do you know how late it is? Where are your parents?" Masaki questioned.

"It's twelve thirty-two, and my parents are asleep. I just have to see him, please, please, please, please?!" Tatsuki begged, she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep that night if she didn't.

"I think he's asleep but you can peek in and check." Masaki gave her permission, she halted Tatsuki again. "He's not really... past anything, so if you do talk to him mind yourself and give him space, okay?"

"Don't worry, Ms. Kurosaki. I will, I promise." She was polite but her impatience showed in her voice. The Kurosaki parents moved out of her way.

The path was cleared; no more trial, just this and now. _Please don't be a dream_. Tatsuki mentally begged. It sure felt like one as she held her breath and very slowly opened his bedroom door...

XxXxX

_I wonder if Urahara sells something that could help... _Ichigo wondered hopefully, rubbing his feet together_. Maybe if Mama would let me out... I'm not sure if she will so soon._ He sighed, pressing his forehead onto the cold pane of glass. _What does my future hold?_

"Ichigo?" The reflection in the glass showed the light leaking from the cracked door.

"Huh?" He sat up straight and looked at her. "Tatsuki?"

Many things were strange, particularly as of late. Strange happenings, strange feelings, the base-line of life had become definition strange. So that perhaps it wasn't so strange that he was there, or that, despite him being there, she still wouldn't believe it, or that she must have stood there for an eternity. Even than she somehow knew that this moment was a marker, a division in her life, with which she would remember the time before and time after as segments, was not so strange anymore. Tatsuki smiled, thick with affection. "Welcome Home."

XxXxX

How things continued... well nothing really got any better. Masaki didn't want him outside by himself, so he had no room to seek his solution, an unfortunate cause-and-effect string it was. With no solution he continued to distance himself as much as possible from his family, which made them think he was depressed. So they took him to people to talk to, different doctors and specialists, with whom he got no where with. In the end it was a big mess.

Isshin and Masaki worked hard to find their solution, which might have been easier if they weren't trying to solve the wrong problem. He didn't see Rukia, and he didn't attend school. Tatsuki became extremely busy with Mid-term tests and only got to visit twice. He was lonely, confused, he felt stuck and trapped.

A week or more had passed; he lost count of the days. He didn't realize just how far down the path his parents had first supposed he was walking. But they did, and they were running out of options when he would no longer even engage them.

It was a Tuesday, having gotten out of school early Tatsuki came over to hang-out.

Masaki seemed relieved out of her mind to see Tatsuki. "I'm so glad you came!" She exclaimed, ushering Tatsuki in. "Maybe... maybe you could get somewhere."

"What do you mean?" She asked, rubbing the strap of her backpack.

"Ichigo hasn't been doing so swell since...that. I'm sorry if we're suddenly putting lots of pressure on you but maybe you can accomplish something." Isshin injected, joining them by the door. They meticulously described what they were trying so hard to accomplish... although she saw right away there was no forcefulness behind it.

"Alright..." Tatsuki murmured, she set her backpack on their couch and headed up the stairs. She felt so suddenly thrown into a serious situation. Was she unnerved or just uncertain? She couldn't tell. She nearly burst into his room. He was standing at the foot of his bed, staring out the window. He turned to look at her but muttered no greeting. His eyes seemed frighteningly vacant.

"Hey, how ya doing?" Tatsuki asked, suddenly hopeful. She could more-so understand what his parents were saying just by looking at him. He didn't answer her. "What'cha doing?"

No reply either... _Man, he really needs to do something...or go somewhere, get out of this place for a while might make him livelier. _"I have an idea." She smiled kindly at him.

"Come with me." Tatsuki requested. "Let's go on a walk."

Ichigo's head shifted back to the open window, that vacant look in his eyes somehow deepening. "I can't."

Thrown into a very serious situation; Tatsuki frowned in irritation. This clearly wasn't working. So Tatsuki left his room, the moment his door shut her guard went down and sympathy over took her. _He's doing really bad... What do I do about this? _She took a deep-breath, searching for her resolve. _Nothing else they've done is working... so it's up to me to fix you. _She stormed down the stairs with as determined an expression as she could wear. She marched right up to his mother, who was busy in the kitchen. "May I take him outside?"

Masaki looked skeptically at her husband but he nodded in an allowing and encouraging manner. "Yes, that's fine. Just don't stay out too long."

"Don't worry, Ms. Kurosaki, I wont let anything happen to him." Tatsuki promised. She bolted back up the stairs and practically crashed into his door. Inside she found Ichigo... exactly how she left him. He paid her no mind but she noticed him obsessively clenching and unclenching his fist.

Tatsuki opened the drawers of his dresser and began shuffling through.

"T-Tatsuki?" He asked.

"Your parents said it was fine so you have no excuse." She replied, turning back around to face him. "Put your arms up."

He obeyed with the slightest of reluctance. Tatsuki pulled his pajama shirt off over his head revealing the small child's half-bandaged torso. Said bandages also ran down his arms to a little past his elbows. The contour of his ribcage was incredibly visible; he was scrawnier than she'd ever seen him. Her eyes narrowed but she made no comment as she slipped his arms into the sleeves of a white shirt. He simply stood, contented as she buttoned up the line of buttons that extend down the front.

"Sorry, but I'm not helping with the bottoms." She told him, handing over a pair of black shorts. She went back to dig for socks. "I'm not looking."

Tatsuki procrastinated as much as she could to give him more time. She called out before turning around; when she did she was happy to see he had changed into the shorts. After she slipped the socks on his feet herself she forcibly dragged him into the bathroom so she could so she could take a comb to the orange bushel growing from his head.

"...why are you doing this?" He asked quietly. "I don't need your help with this kind of stuff."

"Well, you clearly aren't doing this stuff yourself." What perplexed her the most was how he could be so obedient yet so resistant. She had to tow him by his hand, if she let go he probably would stop walking altogether. He kept his line of vision straight forward, not meeting the eyes of any of his family members as she towed him trough the house and out the front door.

The heat of the sun, the fresh air, it all made him feel a little uneasy. He tried to pull his hand out of hers. "I don't want to walk with Tatsuki."

"I don't care." She responded fiercely.

Her words seemed to have an almost physical effect; he winced. "Why are you being so harsh?"

"Because your parents are being too soft, and it only seems to be fostering this depression. You've changed, I mean... what happened to being happy-go-lucky... what happened to it all going away?"

"Depression...?" He repeated.

Tatsuki halted abruptly, meeting his enormous ambers. "What did you eat for breakfast?"

"Breakfast? Why?"

"Just answer the question!" She yelled.

"I-I didn't eat breakfast. I wasn't-" He stammered.

She cut him off. "What about dinner? Last night."

"Yes..."

"Don't lie to me."

"...a little bit."

"When's the last time you ate decently?" She asked, her voice slightly gentler.

"Not for a while." He answered truthfully. Tatsuki began pulling him again, her hand twitch as her fingers tightened on his wrist. They went towards the busier part of town, where they stopped in front of a Taiyaki vendor.

"I'll take five, please." She requested, digging in her pockets for change. When the man handed her the paper bag she shoved it into Ichigo's arms. "You're eating all of those before you go home."

Finally she let go of his hand. Slowly she walked away. _What will he do now? _Soft padding sounds, his feet following behind her. _Thank goodness. _She resumed normal pace.

Ichigo pulled one of the fish-shaped cakes out of the bag. His eyebrows were raised as if he was worried but otherwise he was expressionless as he nibbled on the treat.

Tatsuki wasn't sure where she was going next; she just pushed forward through the town. After around fifteen minutes she spotted a good stopping point, where the hill came cut off with a steep drop at a brick wall that lined its steep side. The onward sight was beautiful. "C'mon, let's sit."

"Isn't that kinda...dangerous? And close to the road?" Ichigo asked not very happily.

"Don't be like that, it's perfectly fine." Tatsuki ushered him over. He sat about two feet to her left, leaving a distance between them, an action that didn't go unnoticed. She scooted towards him a foot.

"Did you want to talk about it?" Tatsuki asked him.

"Talk about what?" He asked, dully.

"About what's bothering you so much, about what happened? I promise if you don't want me to tell anyone, I won't."

"I told you, I don't remember."

"Dummy." She lightly punched his shoulder. "I know that you really didn't forget. If you didn't remember what happened, then you wouldn't be acting this way."

"That's a good theory." He muttered weakly.

"So then what happened?" She pressed. But he remained silent; he reached into the brown-paper bag for his third taiyaki. _At least he's eating them. _Tatsuki rested her hands on top her knees. "You got attacked again, didn't you?"

"I did." He confirmed through a mouthful.

"So..." She drew out, wishing he'd expand upon it, but he just kept eating. _Seriously, he's hopeless. _"Why don't you tell me what happened with that? You got away safely, right?"

Still with no eye contact, he paused; the half-eaten taiyaki inches from his mouth. "I killed it."

Tatsuki blinked in surprise. "You killed it?"

Ichigo tilted his head to the side. "Well... It's not the same. I should say 'I purified it'. Basically I sent it to 'Heaven'."

"Wow, how in the world did you manage that?" She gawked.

"It's complicated." He took another bite.

"We've got time." Tatsuki stated. "C'mon, dude; we're alone. If you don't want me to, I won't tell anyone. Have I ever done anything to invade that trust? You've always trusted me with this stuff before, why not this time, Ichigo? This attack isn't all that happened. They don't take up two weeks of your life! So please, Ichigo, please confide in me so that I can help you. Tell me what happened to you."

Ichigo lowered his fish-cake, he gave in. Staring out at the sun, he spoke softly; "The whole hollow thing is how the story ends. The day it happened, that Friday, I was going to go straight home! Just like I had been asked to. But it didn't work out that way because... I was kidnapped." Tatsuki didn't interrupt; while she had him talking she planned to let him. She remained quiet and attentive. Ichigo ate another mouthful, honestly surprised by how hungry he felt. "I knew them though, but it had been from so long ago that they didn't remember me. They helped me to realize something I should've been paying attention to. I'm sick, Tatsuki."

"Sick?" Tatsuki implored. _In what sense of the word does he mean it? _The boy's fingers dug into the poor pastry fish. "Ichigo?"

"I stayed. I could've come home but I stayed with them because I'm sick. It's contagious... and dangerous. So I stayed." He kept saying, his words sounded like an apology even though there was no 'sorry'. "I wasn't going to come back... so late the next night I snuck back into my house to say good-bye..."

Tatsuki realized he had regained that vacant look in his eye, and that he was crying. "I stood over my Mama, and I asked her to forget about me. Then I hugged little Yuzu until she fell asleep. Somehow... Somehow I went back to that place; to those people. I did all that because I was trying to protect them from myself. I did all of that but I still failed; I couldn't do it in the end. Everyone looked so sad, I couldn't do that to them! So I thought I could try to come back. I thought if I could do something about it, I could make it alright to not just disappear. So I finally left that place. That was when the hollow attacked. Rukia helped me, and she took me home. After everything was said and done; after I was officially home again. It was 'Hey, Ichigo, guess what? Your father's a shinigami!'"

"My father's a shinigami!" He laughed in hysteria. The taiyaki's tail was compressed into a ball that Ichigo chucked at far as he could, the whole action brimmed with anger. He finally looked Tatsuki in the eyes, allowing her to see into those windows of emotion. "My father is a freakin' shinigami! Any other time sure that would've been pretty neat! But after all that... he's a shinigami; so he knew! He knew I was sick! He knew that every second I spent with them I was hurting them! Yet he did absolutely nothing about it! He did nothing to protect them, nothing to help me..."

Tatsuki put her arm around his shoulder and leaned on him as if to give him a hug. "I was wrong, Ichigo, you haven't changed a bit, have you? It's alright to be mad sometimes, ya know? I'll help you figure it out! I understand now why you're acting like this... to protect them."

"You're too close." He muttered, recoiling. "Tatsuki, please."

"You're so worried about everyone else, when in reality you're the one suffering the most. So I'm not going to move! Because I know you don't really want to push everyone away. So I'm going to stay here with you. 'Cause I don't care! Even if I catch this sickness! I don't care. I know that it's not worth leaving you like this." Tatsuki objected with a false tad of annoyance. "And I know your mother would feel the same way."

The ambers burned, gleaming in a sense of agonized confusion. Ichigo didn't pull away anymore, he knew he was so out-of-sorts, and unsure of what in the world he was even doing that he was not himself, and he was indeed depressed. He was drowning and lost within a flood of turmoil.

xXxXx

Ichigo pressed the palm of his hand into his forehead, thinking hard about what Tatsuki had said. He paced obsessively. His feet stopped; again he concentrated hard, trying to stop the overflow. It was like trying to hold onto a pile of beach sand. When he devoted all his attention to it, it felt like he had reined it all up but the moment it broke those tiny grains slipped through his fingers.

The thing that broke his concentration this time was the sound of his window sliding open. Ichigo lowered his hand, looking up to the window. Rukia crouched on the frame, watching with dissatisfaction. "Rukia?"

"Sorry, it's been a while, _kozou_." She apologized.

"What are you doing?" He asked, rubbing his arm. He was...pleasantly?...surprised. He wasn't sure how he felt.

"I was just thinking. I'm not really sure what's been eating you or why you seem so upset. But..." She offered out her hand in an inviting manner. "Don't you think it's about time we saved the world?"

**Chapter End**


	12. Let's Tilt the Universe

**Chapter 12; Let's Tilt the Universe**

Rukia offered him her hand. "Don't you think it's about time we saved the world?"

To him there was no option; no stay or go. Nothing to contemplate. Pure, automatic response; he took her hand. He had accepted by now that he was indeed depressed. That notebook had taught him that Rukia's cheering up techniques tended to be violent and painful, so he readied his body as he took her invitation. He knew that they also tended to work.

They left the lit room, for the dark, cold world that lay on the other side of that house's walls. The freezing air whipped him, he had nothing on for warmth; just a T-shirt and some shorts. Ichigo buried into her back. It was warm... and comfortable.

"It's about time." Ichigo remarked, a bit sourly at first. "I was beginning to wonder if you'd ever show."

"I didn't think you'd fall down without me holding your hands every step of the way. When we met you could walk just fine." Rukia responded coolly. "I just didn't want to show up empty handed. Aren't you pushing this friendship along a bit fast, _Kozou_?"

"My name is not _kozou_. I thought we had a deal. And I'm sorry, I just...I just really want to be Rukia's friend." He frowned, feeling hurt. He stayed pressed to her back as she hopped her way over the roof tops of Karakura town. He'd only been with her a minute or two but despite everything, he was kind of feeling happy. _Why is her presence so comforting?_ It wasn't really till then that what she said back in his room clicked in his mind. "Wait, Rukia... what did you mean; save the world?"

"Oh. Well, after that day, watching you fight that hollow made me think... that maybe with all this stuff, this weird time stuff, we might just have enough of a chance to beat him."

"Aizen?!" He gawked.

"Yes, Aizen." Rukia confirmed. "And maybe Ichimaru and Tousen too."

"You're insane. We can't beat them! What's the plan then?" He asked from her back. He was talking, conversing like a normal person. He didn't have to hide from her; he didn't have to detach himself to protect her.

"Um...I'm not one-hundred percent sure yet." Rukia answered nervously.

"Why are you stating things so boldly? You're claiming these things and you really don't have any idea how to do it?" Ichigo gaped, dubiously.

"Not quite, I got some of the little details worked out, I just didn't want you whining at me that you got left out of all the fun." Rukia prodded back at him. It wasn't uncommon, even now, after it all, that the underlying tone of their conversations was a back-and-forth teasing session. It came naturally, as if that part of their relationship was integrated from the start.

The gears of his mind cranked; trying to figure out what in the world must be running through her head. He actually found that it kind of made sense. "Wait, what details do you have so far?"

Rukia paused. "The getting there part, and the getting us in there without being noticed part. I've got a little present."

"A present?" He asked.

"Yeah, just wait and I'll show you." Rukia lunged off the roof top and landed in the street. "Ride's over, Short Cake. Time to get down."

He slipped of her back, not really noticing the little nickname. He looked at the surroundings, trying to determine where they'd ended up. This street didn't look familiar... it wasn't by the park like he'd been expecting. "Where are we going?"

Rukia faced him. "I think we should go." Her statement was so blunt, but it could mean so many different things.

"Yes, but where are we going?" He asked, mildly confused by her abruptness.

"I'm asking you if you'll come to the Soul Society with me. Don't you want to see the man who screwed up your life taken out?" Rukia inquired. "This is a formal request. I'm not going to make you come if you don't want to."

_This is all very sudden. I can't go. What would that do to my family? Yet, I'm miserable, my parents are miserable as far as I extend into their lives. I hate it so much, but I couldn't just leave. I feel trapped. The truth is... I want to go. But how could I be so self-fish? Disappearing again would just about kill my parents. If I told them I was leaving... would they let me go? No. Never. Not to the Soul Society, not for Aizen. It is too dangerous... way too dangerous. Us, fight Aizen, now?! She is crazy. _He dropped his gaze away from her eyes. "I-I can't. I wouldn't..."

"It's just for a short time. Besides, what do you have going for you here? You're not acting like the overly-optimistic, little _kozou_ that I met at the park." Rukia queried. "No 'Ms. Kuchiki', no watermelon-grins, where has that excitement gone to? Where did the little Ichigo I met go to, huh?"

"I'm sorry, Rukia, I can't. It's not that easy." Ichigo turned around, feeling more down then he had before she'd come. _This isn't supposed to happen._ He thought, walking away from her, somehow assuming by declining he'd have to find his own way home. _She's supposed to be able to fix things._

"Wait... Hold on." Rukia shouted. He listened, looking over his shoulder. "It wouldn't hurt to stay, would it? If you can't then you don't have to come to the Soul Society with me, but it wouldn't hurt to stay for now would it?"

His eyes lit up. To have Rukia asking just for his presence, somehow it made him feel so elated. He'd wanted so badly to be her friend, and now he truly believed he had succeeded. "No, for now it wouldn't hurt."

"Well, c'mon then." Rukia waved. In a hop, skip, and a jump he was back at her side. "Do you have any guesses as to where we are headed?"

"Um... we're in the Mitsumiya district, right? I don't know what's here really... so; no, I don't have any guesses. Where are we going?"

Rukia grinned. "To Urahara's Shoten."

"My gosh! Are you serious?" Ichigo gasped. _That means I'm about to meet Urahara? Wow. This is sudden. _He was excited. Meeting anyone or seeing anything from that book was like a Christmas present.

Rukia lead the way. Each step closer Ichigo felt a building tension as he began to wonder what would happen when he met Mr. Hat and Clogs. When at last they arrived in front of the dark shadow of the shop Ichigo found himself very anxious. A few lights seemed to glow from the sides but the front shop space was completely dark as they stepped inside. He followed Rukia to the back, trying to make out the details of the contents on the shelves.

They walked right past the goods, Rukia instructed him to take off his shoes before they entered the 'house portion'.

"Shouldn't we knock or something?" Ichigo asked nervously.

"Nah, he's expecting us." She replied casually.

"If you say so." Ichigo stepped carefully across the tatami mat flooring, mentally preparing himself to be ready for anything that might happen next. They went to one of the very back rooms. They hadn't seen anybody yet, and this room too was empty. "Why so... secluded?"

It was a simple, empty room with nothing in it.

"Secluded? It's not really secluded, that word's a little too much. It's private. I thought you'd appreciate a little more 'seclusion'." Rukia tried to explain.

"Alright." He nodded. "So, what would've happened now if I were coming?"

"We'd go over things for a minute before Urahara brought up something... then we'd... I'm not sure, alright? It's not like I pre-planned everything!" Rukia huffed in annoyance. "Any-who, Urahara said he'd bring them up when he finished, which should be soon."

"What are they?" Ichigo asked curiously. He sat down on the floor.

"You'll see." Rukia responded. She leaned against the wall.

_Rukia. _Ichigo looked down at the ground. _Rukia... I would've loved to see the Soul Society with you. Perhaps someday..._

"So, are you going to tell me what's on your mind?" Rukia inquired nonchalantly.

"What do you mean?"

"C'mon, _kozou_, don't play games with me." Rukia stated firmly. Just then the door slid open, revealing a very amused looking man. Ichigo knew if it weren't for the stripped hat (and the obvious context clues) he would never have guessed this man's identity.

Urahara grinned. "Kurosaki Ichigo! I've been very eager to meet you."

In his hand was a curious looking box, all lacquered and black. Ichigo's eyes moved from the man's shaded eyes to the object in his hands, wondering what was inside. He would've forgotten to say anything at all if his brain hadn't kicked him in the behind. "...same here, actually."

_This is Urahara Kisuke. The root of this whole problem, and some of the biggest help _He, _or I, could ever wish to have. _Urahara handed the box over to Rukia. "They're all finished."

"Were you able to fix the problems we discussed?" Rukia asked, looking over the box carefully.

"No, I can't quite get it to work when your reiatsu is engaged. It's just a minor flaw, something hopefully you two can work around."

"Alright, that's fine. It's not a big deal really, we... I don't think I'll need it working this time." Rukia replied.

"Are you just going then?" Urahara asked in confusion.

"Ichigo said he couldn't come, but he still wanted to come see these."

"Is that so? I guess we should have considered that... I didn't think he'd say no." Urahara glanced at the boy curiously. "Might I ask why?"

"It's... personal... actually... I was..." Ichigo blurted, trying to piece together a sentence, but it just wasn't working. It was harder then he thought it would be, to ask for help he'd have to first admit what was his problem to Urahara when he'd kept denying Rukia the right to know.

"C'mere, take a look at these. It is why we came here after all." Rukia pulled him by the arm. Ichigo nearly fell over. With him by her side, she opened the lid. Inside the box there were four long straps of cloth; one white, three black. It was intriguing but almost anti-climatic.

"What are these?" Ichigo asked, reaching in to lightly touch the fabric.

"Well, this one is mine." Rukia picked up the single white one. On the reverse side there was printed in black Japanese letters - "Kakusu".

"...Hide?" Ichigo asked.

"Yeah, look, these would be for you. Check them out." Rukia offered. Ichigo picked up one of the black clothes, it was the same as Rukia's but inverse white-on-black. The cloth felt silky and soft. He gently laid it out on his lap to pick up the next one. Instead this one read - "Osearu". He laid it out too, the next one was the same.

"Hide and suppress?" Ichigo ran his hand along one, receiving a strange static-shock to the tips of his fingers. "Why do I have three, and you have one?"

"Because; I only need one, and you need three to have the same effect. I thought it would be a good idea if we could get into the Soul Society without anyone knowing. Anything like the canon ball would be way too flashy, and we're not really prepared to handle the consequences of a flashy entrance. So I asked Urahara if he could create these so we can use the Senkaimon and go around the Seireitei without being noticed. This is a headband. Well wearing it, it hides my reiatsu so that even the strongest shinigami can't sense me. It's amazing he got it to work really, the only flaw he couldn't work out is that you can't access your reiatsu well you're wearing it. So it's like it's hidden from yourself as well." Rukia explained with a smile.

"I still don't get why I have three? Three head bands?" Ichigo looked at the bands in his lap, helplessly.

"Give me your hand." Rukia requested. Ichigo relinquished his right arm. Rukia grabbed one of the two 'osearu' bands. She put it around his wrist, although it was as long as the head band, and insanely loose on his wrist. She touched the two ends together, with a loud zipping sound the cloth shrunk until it was skin tight. It sent a subtle shock through his arm that made him flinch. "There you go. Other one?"

She put the other one on his left wrist; it too zipped conveniently skin-tight, and sent a second shock. He shook his hands, his fingers tickling numbly. "Man, that kind of hurt."

"Well, it's over now." Rukia stated. "Now, these are going to contain that uncontrollable reiatsu of yours. Urahara said if you were leaking reiatsu everywhere then just the headband would be useless."

"Are you serious?" Ichigo asked, his eyes lighting up like Christmas morning. _Leave it to Rukia. This could solve my problem. I need these. It could fix everything. _

"Dead serious." Rukia answered, her violets moved to his eyes, trying to get a read on his emotions.

His voice quivered and dropped in volume. "If I come with you, when we're done...can I keep these, please?"

"Sure. I don't see why not." Rukia shrugged her shoulders. He grinned one of his watermelon-like grins.

"Thank you. Thank you very much."

Urahara removed Ichigo's soul from the bonds of his body. Ichigo laid it out the great care and gentleness by the far wall. Rukia pulled out the black notebook, that she still had on her person, and laid it on top the corpse. Urahara, of course, had to then explain why he was still wearing the cuffs and how they integrated with the soul.

After all the talking was done and through they thanked Urahara and went out to breathe the cold of the night air. The walked down the street. The dark sky hanging beautifully above them. The cold of the air seemed fresh, and mind clearing.

"What about these made you change your mind?" Rukia asked, catching him rubbing the cloth still on his wrists. He didn't answer. "Hollow troubles?"

"Sure..." He answered. He realized he was being a bit spacey so he tried to snap out of it. "What are we going to do when we get there, to the Seireitei?"

"Hmmm... I wonder. We need to decide the best way to take out Aizen." Rukia pondered.

"I don't want to fight." Ichigo declared. "That's alright, right? I don't think I could get anywhere fighting Aizen, I really don't. I'm definitely not as good as _He _was, and look what happened to him. I just..."

Rukia patted his head. "Don't worry, that's fine! I didn't really expect you to do anything so grandiose."

"I bet if we could get all captains... they could do it." Ichigo suggested.

"I bet you're right, we'd need proof first though. The Gotei 13 captains won't just turn on their own so easily."

"Hey, Yumisawa's got a park up here. It's bigger then your little park, but did you want to check it out?" Ichigo suddenly asked, breaking from topic.

"Um... sure, if you want to go there." Rukia shrugged, not feeling very opinionated toward the question.

"Yaaay!" Ichigo twirled in a circle, he grabbed her hands in both of his, the first time in a while feeling fully joyous. He admired both _Him _and her soo very much. He stared into her eyes. "You will never understand how important you are to me."

Rukia didn't really take much note of his words; she listened but didn't think about it for very long. Ichigo let go and continued to smile happily. It was relaxing for her to see him happy again, that worried look, the distance, and that annoyance seemed to have evaporated. When they reached the park, Ichigo insisted she slide down the slide with him at least once. Then they rested at the base of a tree. Rukia pulled out her sketch book and a pencil.

"I'm going to try to figure out a way to get our proof and get the captains help." She announced.

"Isn't it too dark to draw?" Ichigo asked.

Rukia pointed at a street lamp several feet away. "It gives enough light for me to see."

"You'll ruin your eyes that way." Ichigo warned, he spread out on the grass, which was cool and comfortable. The dark sky with its few stars twinkled up above. _I wonder if the sky is clearer in the Soul Society. I wonder how long this will take us. I feel free... like I can be me again... I can't wait to talk to Mama... and the rest of my family._

"Come look at this. What do you think?" Rukia asked. Ichigo sat up and propped himself up next to her. He looked at what she'd done on the sketch book.

"Your rabbits are cute." He commented, not really understanding anything else.

"Thanks. But that's not what I'm asking." She grumbled. "What if we went to the Central 46 and told them? They get massacred right? It'd be so risky they'd have to order Aizen to be captured! Not even the Captains can go against them."

"Good start, but that would put way too much reliance on the Central 46. Frankly, I don't really have a good feeling about that. They could just as easily have us executed for sneaking in to a restricted place like that."

"Mmm... good point." Rukia flipped to the next page and began drawing again. Ichigo rested his chin on his knees, rubbing the band on his wrist. He shut his eyes. _Thank you Rukia._

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

"Where are you going?" Isshin asked lightly, changing out of his doctor attire.

"I have to go check on him." Masaki responded briskly, grabbing the door knob of their bedroom's door. She had been pacing in front of their bed for the past five minutes.

"Wait, Masaki." He commanded. "Don't you think you're being a little too overbearing?"

"I'm worried about him." She flashed her husband a look of distress.

"Your worry isn't doing anything for him. Maybe if you relaxed a little, he would open up to you." Isshin suggested. "You should let him play outside."

"I'm...I'm not stopping him from playing outside, I just want him to be with someone else. I've offered to take him to the park and the store... I just don't want one of those _things _to pick him up as a snack! He's been attacked twice in one month!"

"I understand your position, Masaki, you know I do. But maybe that's not enough. You need to consider how a child thinks. He has not spoken a word about what happened to him. For all we know he could have been struggling for his freedom, then when he succeeds we take it away! How would he feel about that? He might not even blame us... because children have more of a tendency to blame themselves." He didn't like making her sound like the bad guy, but it was about time he stood strong to show her the other side. He'd thrown her into a pit of rethinking, and for now that was enough. "Sit down, read your book. I'll peek in on him for you."

"Thank you." Masaki murmured, her throat stricken.

Isshin went to his room fully aware that Ichigo was no longer there. He felt his son's departure, and he felt glad that his son had gotten away for a break. If it was her... things could begin to turn around. He grabbed two extra pillows from the closet and carefully tucked them under the covers, making sure no part showed. Satisfied; he flipped off the light and returned to his wife with a semi-smile he sat beside her on the bed and told her; "He's fast asleep."

"Really? I guess...that's good. Did he touch his dinner?" She asked, hopefully.

"It looked like he ate some of it." Isshin replied.

Masaki smiled. "Good."

Isshin nodded. "Yes, I really hope things are going to start looking up."

"Me too." Masaki agreed. She tensed up. "I just wish I knew what to do."

"We all do." Isshin nodded, he reached out and grabbed her hand. "And I wonder if he does. Who knows what's going on in his head? Maybe he's scared, or confused... we can't really say for sure if he doesn't want to talk to us."

Masaki collapsed backwards onto the bed. She felt very tired. She hadn't actually done much that day but she was exhausted from stress.

"Are you going to sleep?" Isshin grinned as he watched her.

"I think I'm going to read for a little bit." She replied sleepily.

"Well, do you mind if I step out for a little bit? I think the cold air might clear my head." Mentally his fingers were crossed.

"Sure."

Isshin leaned over her; he lowered his head and gently kissed her lush lips. "I love you."

Masaki smiled, staring into his dark eyes. "And I love you."

Isshin sat back up. His heart was pounding so loud he could hear it as he said good-bye. All through the house, the sound followed him right through the door. It was because he knew what he was really pursuing that made his heart thump like so. Even the chilly air didn't seem to catch his attention. _Why did things have to turn upside-down in the first place? _He asked himself, allowing himself to melt into the dark of the night.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

"How does that sound?" Rukia tapped the paper proudly, her everything spun with a sense of accomplishment as her eyes scanned back over it. _It's perfect! This could actually work! _"What d'you think, huh? Pretty good, right?"

Slumped into her side, the child gently snoozed. His face was alit; an angelic, peaceful look that captured the innocence of his youth. _What?! He fell asleep on me again? Man, does he not sleep at night or something?! How often does he do this to people? How rude! Just falling asleep on people like that._

Rukia set her papers on her other side with a huff and a puff of annoyance. _Now, what am I supposed to do? With him like this I can't even move. _She went rigid, sensing the presence of another. "Come out!"

As if he hadn't been cautiously tracking their reiatsu's Isshin waltzed up, his hands shoved into his coat pockets as protection against the cold night. "Not bad."

Rukia smirked, although her position was kind of awkward sitting on the ground at the base of the tall tree. "Well, if it isn't _Captain Kurosaki_."

"Sorry for the intrusion-" He stopped, spotting his son. _Sh-Shinigami robes?! _The shock in his expression grew exponentially each second. His little boy, his little Ichigo was in a shinigami's shihakushou! That meant no regular person could see him, that he was out of his body, that he'd experienced that solitary second of death when one of the soul removing devices made contact with his person. It meant a lot of things, a lot of things he didn't want for his son; not yet.

Continuing to gape in disbelief, he hit a sudden thought. "You're taking him back to the Soul Society with you, aren't you?"

Rukia wrapped her arm around the boy protectively. "I'm not kidnapping him. I just want him for a few days, that's all."

"Even stealing him away for a few days is considered kidnapping, isn't it?" Isshin asked in despair. He felt faced with a choice, a very difficult choice. On one hand he wanted his son, he wanted to have him close, and to always know that he was safe. Especially after what their family... what Ichigo must have been through! But that also supported the other hand; this was Kuchiki Rukia. According to his past, she was one of the most important people in his life. So was it Isshin's place to keep him away from her? What if he ended up snapping the entire bonds of destiny by making his son stay? As dramatic as it sounded... it might just be possible. He rubbed his face amidst his stressful, mind-boggling decision making process that was so suddenly brought unto him.

"He's happy." Rukia stated, seeing the man before her, this ex-Captain of the Gotei 13, struggling. She sighed slightly as his attention shifted back to her. "He was happy... to see me. I understand you guys have been having some difficulties with him. After a little bit of talking he seemed to open right up... smiling... laughing... chatting. I know it seems a bit hard but he'll come back. I just want one week, he's not going to do any fighting. Maybe a little practice but I'm certainly not pitting him against Aizen. We've got a plan so that he doesn't have to be the one to defeat them. He'll be fine. When I bring him back I can make things better again. I have the power to do that, if you just let me." Alright, maybe that was a slight twist of truth. She still didn't quite understand what his problem was, but she was sure if she talked to Ichigo she could work this out. _He seemed pretty happy when I gave him those things, maybe a present like that will be enough._

Isshin wanted to say no, he knew Masaki would say no. So it didn't help that he believed what she said. He walked forward and knelt before them, watching his son's peaceful sleep with affection._ My son..._ He gently stroked his cheek. _...is very precious to me._ "If you can help him... If you can fix whatever went wrong, that we couldn't help him with...I'll give you one week. But, I have one more condition."

"What is it?" Rukia asked, her voice hardly above a whisper. For some reason speaking aloud, making any sort of noise in such a tense feeling moment felt just wrong.

"If anything at all happens. Or if something goes wrong, I need you to promise me that you'll protect him with your life. He's just a kid, and he's not very strong, but he'd drive off every last inch of darkness in the world if he could. He'd do anything without hesitation, no matter how rash or stupid, if he thought it meant saving the life of someone else." _Especially you. _He was trying really hard not to become choked up. He kissed his son on the forehead before standing up.

Rukia nodded.

"Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to him." She promised.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Isshin just about dragged his feet home, continually reconsidering. He knew he went through that too fast. Way too fast. He kept asking himself '_did I handle that right?'_. There was no right way to handle that, there couldn't be. The thing he dreaded most was going home. It felt like that day, the day he went missing. But this time he'd let him go, and sooner or later he'd have to tell her why.

_Please, react positively. _He asked, picking up a faster pace as he neared the house. He stopped and stood outside the door. _Do I tell her now? Or do I wait for a better time? I guess I'll just have to see how things go._

Quietly, he went inside. His hopes were that his wife was asleep, and that he could put off telling her until tomorrow. It wasn't like he could keep this a secret, maybe for the night but not for an entire week! _I'm sure things will work out just fine. _He assured himself. He got a cold glass of water that he chugged down before going upstairs. He willed away the stress in his facial features as he ascended.

He walked right to their bedroom door and pulled it open. The light was still on but his dear wife wasn't in there. _Shoot._

Isshin turned back into the hall; he checked the bathroom, no luck. He knew where he was going to find her, the very place he prayed he didn't. He crept over to Ichigo's bedroom door. The door was slightly ajar so he pushed it open. _Wham! _A pillow hit him in the face as hard as was possible for a pillow to do.

"You jerk. How could you?" Masaki sat on the edge of his bed, clutching the other pillow he'd used to make it appear as if their son was really asleep. "I knew something was up, the moment you said you were leaving. Liar! Where is Ichigo?"

Isshin couldn't find his words. She found out before he told her. Things looked worse for him since she caught him in a lie despite it all.

"Where is he?! Isshin!" Masaki was completely distraught, her eyes were red, her cheeks wet. "You said he was asleep! You lied to me Isshin! After all this how could you even begin...? Where is he?!"

"He's just fine, Masaki, he's with Rukia." Isshin's throat tightened.

She stared at him hard. "There's something more."

"They're going to the Soul Society to try to..." He trailed off, realizing that this wasn't the best approach but Masaki caught on.

"They're trying to do something about Aizen?" She pressured.

"They have a plan-"

Her expression melted from anger into a how-could-you dead-pan stare. "You just stood there well she whisked him off on a suicide mission? You knew and you let them go? Him go... After he was finally home? Even after that man destroyed his entire life?! Our son was at the top and that man took his and Rukia's life like it was nothing. Yet you still let nine-year old little Ichigo go?! You're his parent! You're supposed to know better!"

Isshin shut the door, the volume was rising and the set of Kurosaki's weren't the type who'd want their little girls hearing it. "You should have seen him, Masaki. He was happy." Isshin defended calmly.

The pillow she'd been holding slammed into the wall next to him. "What does his happiness matter if he's dead?!"

"Isn't that up to him to decide?" Isshin argued.

"Are you kidding me?! He's nine years old!" She screeched. "When are they leaving?!"

"They just left, Masaki." Isshin lied, as calmly as he could.

Masaki shook her head, her voice dropped in volume. "How could you?" She buried her face in her left palm, trying to calm what was turning into choking sobs, she bustled past him.

Isshin sighed. He found that he too was beginning to feel confused.

xXxXXxXXxXx

His eyes cracked up to the first rays of the rising sun. The grass felt wet and dewy around his fingers, beneath his head. He sat up, he was still beneath the tree at the park. _Did I really fall asleep here? _

"Ah, you're up." Rukia was standing next to him. "You feel asleep, I didn't think I should wake you up, you haven't been looking too sharp."

"Sorry, I haven't gotten much sleep lately." His eyes were still dreary and tired.

Rukia sat down next to him, she handed him over her sketch book, already opened on a page. "Look at this, what do you think?"

The pictures were cutesy, but there were blocks of writing explaining each step. It really looked like she worked on it a long time. Ichigo read it over, and studied it before he responded. "I think it would work...but, Rukia, I've been thinking..."

"Thinking about what?"

"Maybe, it was a bad idea...you know, I...I can't just run off to the Soul Society. Not after all this. I just can't do that to them, I owe them at least that. I couldn't! I'm not like _him_, I don't think if something happened there's really anything I could do about it. I'm just a kid, Rukia, and I need to stay home. You're amazing, and these are... very awesome. You've helped me more then you could ever imagine!" He smiled in earnest. Slowly he began shaking his head. He had to admit that it was also a chance to see the Soul Society, to see the things _he _had seen, to give up that was hard. But he knew his priorities better then that! "I'm sorry, Rukia. I'm sorry, I can't."

Rukia gave him her stern expression. "If it's your family that is stopping you, you shouldn't worry. I wasn't going to tell you this but I talked to your father."

"You what?! You talked to my dad? When? About what? What did he say?!" Ichigo gaped.

"He said you could go. For a few days, too; so we've got sometime." She replied a little too nonchalantly.

"He did?" He felt that something like that should help to relieve his feelings towards his father, but it only seemed to worsen. It felt like his father didn't care if his son wanted to go out and commit dangerous acts. It followed the evidence from the book; that his father would rather sit back and do nothing. He knew but all he would ever do was watch from the shadows. "Did he say why? I mean, you know, why he was just letting me go like that?"

"I had to strike a deal with him." Rukia smiled down at him. She ruffle grabbed his head and rubbed his rustic strands into more of a mess then they already were. "I promised him that when I brought you back you'd be back to your usual overly cheerful self!"

Ichigo wasn't sure what to think of it, but before he could stop himself his eyes welled up with tears. He knew she'd already done so much for him. Even that she was already standing by him not only as his friend, but as his nakama! His gratitude was over powering.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

The two went back to Urahara's Shoten, they discussed it with him. Under the limit of one week; 7 days, Urahara thought it would be a good idea to take the first three and have Rukia do some training with Ichigo. "You're more than likely to at least come into a situation were you have to take somebody out, especially if you don't want the Soul Society to know you're there." Is what he said. So they did, focusing on the fastest way to take them down and even tie them up. Ichigo amazed Urahara with how much he already knew, he handled his zanpakutou quite decently, despite it being almost twice as big as he was. Before they knew it the beginning of day 4 was here.

Rukia helped him tighten his head band. "There you go."

"Thanks." Ichigo smiled. It felt weird having his reiatsu all bottled up inside him. To some extent it felt like being suffocated.

"Just run straight through." Rukia reminded, drawing her zanpakutou. Her focus locked on to what she was doing. She thrust the blade forward and turned it like a key. "Unlock!"

In the air before them a set of round, traditional-Japanese style doors appeared. They slide open, behind them was too bright to see into.

Ichigo closed his eyes; he inhaled slowly, taking as much time to prepare himself as he darn well pleased. He ignored the little red flags waving like crazy in the back of his mind. He still, even now, could not believe it, his feet were seconds away from entering the Dangai! Yet he still couldn't accept that they were actually doing this. It had to be a dream; it had to be false. There was no way they were actually doing this.

Ichigo's amber iris's seemed to spin, and shine as if to clearly display the curiosity and sincerity that still ran thick through his child-mind. His brow was not furrowed like it would've been, instead his eyes were wide, taking in everything he could. It was his firm resolve to imprint this event, his life, into his memories because the one thing he could get his head around was that he absolutely did not want to forget a single thing.

"You ready, Ichigo?" The taller, ebony haired shinigami asked. He couldn't stop it, especially since she actually used his name, his mouth pulled into a wide grin; he nodded. "Then let's go!"

Rukia was the first to move, charging straight into this new, terrifyingly brilliant adventure. On her go he followed, but a step behind her, into that magnificent light. A thought flashed across his mind and just for a second he wondered if he would willingly follow this woman, no matter the destination.

There was no need to ponder; again he nodded - _Yes, I would._

"Careful, this will open up to the Senkaimon." Rukia warned, glancing sideways at him. It was a marvel that he could even run; with his sword as long as it was it simply didn't look like it would function at his current height. Yet, he pulled it off, somehow...

"Roger." Ichigo replied calmly, checking his headband to be sure it was tight enough. "Here we go."

They reached the end, the tunnel suddenly ended and they felt the hard tile beneath them, the heat of the sun, and the light air of outside; The Soul Society.

"Halt!" Commanded the two guards from either side of the gate, their long devices coming to rest in front of Ichigo and Rukia. "We need to confirm that you have permission."

"I'm really sorry, but we can't let you do that." Ichigo apologized as he drew his zanpakutou. "It would be way too problematic."

"Are you threatening us?" The one on the right asked.

"No." Ichigo muttered, running his hand along the sharp blade. "There's really no point in making a threat if I have to do it anyway."

The blunt edge of the sword slammed into the guy's stomach with mighty force that landed the guy on the ground in that singular swoop. He groaned. The other guard barely had enough time to react before he met the same fate. Rukia quickly bound them. After that there wasn't much left but to leave. Ichigo quickly bowed. "Sorry about this."

"C'mon, I don't know how long it will be before someone will come by here so we really should get moving. We can't be seen." Rukia ushered.

"But they've seen us. What are we supposed to do about that?" Ichigo asked her.

"Oh, good point. Guess we really ought to do something..." She glanced around at the stone tiles. "Over there. Help me pull this one open."

It was difficult to grip enough of the edge with the groove between two stones being so thin. But somehow they managed to lift it. Rukia dropped the two Shinigami's down onto the pathway that the 4th squad would sometimes travel by, along side of the sewage. "There. That should last a good while."

"Will they really be alright? We can't do this if they're going to starve to death or something."

"They'll be fine." Rukia coaxed, with a slight chuckle. "They'll be found before they starve to death. If not I'll tell Ukitake-taichou. So don't worry about them. Let's go."

"Alright..." Ichigo helped her lower the large stone tile back down.

Without worrying about being caught or any of the attention absorbing things he gazed around this place; The Soul Society. _This is it. I am actually here! _The air felt like nothing else he'd ever breathed. It felt powerful. It must've been from the reishi in the air... it was a wonderful feeling. He wasn't sure, exactly, how well _He _liked Soul Society...but he certainly loved it. Just standing there, before the Senkaimon, all of the tall towering buildings to one side. Unique in structure. Sturdy, defined. He felt a certain sense of hominess. He was glad at that point that he'd come.

"Pretty neat?" Rukia inquired, watching with humor his gawking.

"By far the most..." Ichigo trailed off, unexpectedly feeling sad. _This is part of what _He _left behind... What I left behind. My life. _His _life. I wonder if this place is something he would've missed? I wonder if he's conscious enough to ponder what he does miss._

"Are you alright?" Rukia's urgent voice broke in. "You really seem to have zoned out there."

"Yeah, sorry. Let's go."

xXxXXxXx

Jushiro took a second to admire the beautiful sun and the framing clouds; a scene that seemed to gleam with perfection. It was a nice day; things were calm in the Seireitei. And frankly, he was looking forward to finishing the last few pages of paperwork he had waiting in his office. It was the fact that, besides that paperwork, there was nothing else demanding his attention that enthused him.

"Ukitake-taichou!" Kiyone shouted, her voice seemed to come before she even appeared, crouched before him.

"Yes, what's going on?" He tensed; what irony it would be for something to happen now.

Kiyone smiled, hearing the concern in the Captain's voice. "It's not that serious, Taichou. Hiro-san and Matsuri-san seem to have gotten into a bad fight. They've been restrained for the time being. What action do you suggest we take, Taichou?"

"Oh. Put them in separate holding cells and assign Shirayama and Takezaki to guard Hiro and Matsuri's post. I'll talk to the two of them later. If they're injured call a 4th squad member."

"Yes sir!" And she was gone. Easy. Simple. This was indeed a good day.

Jushiro was a bit surprised by how completely simple it had been. His pleased smile returned and he walked back to his office. He grabbed the mock-silver knob of the Western-style door without any thought at all put towards such a natural action. _What? _He blinked. Rukia was standing by his desk. She bowed ninety-degrees.

"What are you doing back? You've still got a few days left in Karakura. I must admit I'm a bit surprised! I didn't even feel your reiatsu when you came back-" Jushiro strolled up to her with a warm grin; he jumped just a little when the door unexpectedly clicked shut. He looked over his shoulder. A very short, young shinigami with stunningly bright orange hair had pushed it shut. It wasn't a shinigami he recognized. "Which squad are you from?"

"Ukitake-taichou, he's a friend of mine." Rukia instantly replied. When the Captain turned back Rukia bowed again. She took a deep breath. "Taichou, please assist us."

"Now, Rukia, you don't have to be so formal. What's going on?" Jushiro waved as if to brush away the bulk of her formalities.

"While in the World of the Living I learned some very unfortunate things that we really need help taking care of. Taichou... please sit down, this might take a while."

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

_Kuchiki Rukia_. Masaki now despised that woman. It was hard enough at first to accept that the person who had introduced him to such a dangerous world meant so much to him. She accepted it when they found out the two had met back up, and were good friends. Especially so soon! But hey, who was she to screw with fate? Rukia seemed fairly nice, and had saved her son from a hollow! What could be better?! But running off with her nine-year-old son to go on a suicide mission?! Was that woman INSANE? He was not old enough, not skilled enough to take down the person who (basically) put him where he was right now! That was why she now despised Kuchiki Rukia; to take her son away from her without even a child-back guarantee! She had even convinced Isshin that it was the right thing to do... didn't anyone care about his safety? Masaki was fed up and frustrated, she yearned for things to get better, for her son back, for him to be happy. Yes, she wanted him to be happy, very much. But there were other priorities!

Masaki sighed, stirring her coffee with a spoon. _One week. Four days left. My baby better be back in four days._

She set down the spoon and lifted the cup to her lips. This had to be the worst month in her life. Along with everything that had happened, Isshin and her were now fighting worse than they'd ever fought before. She didn't understand what his thought process was telling him. They were not on the same page. They usually were, with just about everything, so why was he so far now? And just what was she going to do when Ichigo came back? If he ever did come back. Who knew what that scoundrel of a woman was planning? She could keep him there for the rest of his life, and Masaki wouldn't be able to do a darn thing about it! It was so aggravatingly helpless! But if and when he came home, would she feel mad at him for running off? No...That wasn't very fair if stupid Isshin gave him permission. How was she going to feel when she saw him? Happy? Thankful? Sad? Angry?

Masaki rubbed head. "Please, God, just let him come home in one piece."

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

"So...you're saying that Aizen is manipulating us and he's really evil? And when chance arises he's plotting to create an ouken and kill Kami?" Ukitake tried to summarize. He was confused, and had a lot of questions for his subordinate. "If it's true, that could be really bad news. But I don't know, that's a very big claim... where did you hear all this?"

"From him." Rukia gestured to Ichigo, who took it as an invitation to join them. "This is Ichigo."

"It's an honor to meet you, Ukitake-taichou." Ichigo greeted.

"What squad are you in? Where did you come across this information?" Ukitake asked. This was a very young shinigami, not as common-place now-a-days. 'He must be a prodigy', is what the Taichou assumed.

"He's more of a... direct source, Taichou." Rukia clarified.

"What do you mean?"

"Can you keep a secret?" Ichigo inquired, his innocent smile gleaming.

Ukitake thought for a moment, trying to measure whether this was really a position he wanted to put himself in. "Yes, I believe I could."

"We don't want this to get out, but he's not an actual shinigami... well, technically not... you'd still be a representative, right?" Rukia turned to Ichigo, who shrugged his shoulders.

"Maybe an ex-representative? Or a pre-representative?" He suggested. "You see, something's happened...loads of things, but then they came undone. In other words, fell-through-the-roof, unraveled, unwove and fell to the floor in a meaningless pile of strings."

"What Ichigo is trying to say is that he's from the future." Rukia cut in.

Ukitake silently look each of them in the eye. "Are you serious?"

"Dead serious!" Ichigo laughed, finding a slight pun in the words.

"Huh..." Ukitake muttered, wondering if that was really possible.

"We have a plan all laid out, Ukitake-taichou, if you cooperate you'll get your proof." Rukia told him, pulling out her sketch book.

"Well... what's your plan?" Ukitake inquired.

"The plan." Ichigo began as Rukia sketched the relative pictures. "Starts with the Central 46. Tomorrow you will announce that you've lost all contact with your representative, Kuchiki Rukia, and that it's past her return date. We're not sure how soon, but soon after Aizen will go to assassinate the Central 46. That is when we'll get him. We were hoping you'd be able to borrow a squadron of those ninja-assassin guys from Soi Fong-taichou, to be stealthily waiting for him. You see if he breaks in, then we have our proof, and if we're ready for him they can hold him off until the other Captains are ready. Then we can take him out like that!"

"Um..." Ukitake rubbed the back of his head. "Well, it could work...but look, it's greatly relying on other people and other things happening. I can make some of those things happen, but unless you make it a bit more fluid it can be ruined easily by something unexpected. The biggest hole in your plot is right here," he pointed to the spot on Rukia's drawing that he could only assume was the correct place. "Aizen is a Captain level shinigami; he'd be able to tell if you had a bunch of execution squad members in there waiting for him. How could we tell when he breaks in, if he does? There needs to be communication. There are lots of variables in that area; if you want to make your plan work you need to tighten that area up."

"What if we posted just a general look-out to communicate with this side of things?" Rukia suggested. "And, if we somehow made a secret entrance for the Execution Squad? They're very fast, if the look-out just alerted us then they could be in there in a second."

"Well...that would work as long as Aizen couldn't detect them...which would be pretty difficult to do. Yes, yes those are both very good, hypothetically speaking of course. But we can't do anything until you figure out who the look out should be, someone very good at hiding their reiatsu."

Ichigo looked down at his hands, deciding if stating his suggestion was the best idea. "Maybe... maybe we should do it."

Rukia turned to him, surprised. "Us?"

"Well, we won't be fighting, and no one else will be as unnoticeable as us. It will let us be a more involved part of our plan without killing us. With these devices that Urahara made us, no one can sense our reiatsu. It's like it's not there. It'll make things more fluid. What do you think?"

"No fighting right?" Rukia asked.

"Of course not." Ichigo assured her.

"Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt. So what do you think, Ukitake-taichou?"

"It seems pretty crazy to me, but it might just work." Ukitake nodded thoughtfully.

"You'll really do this, just like that?" Rukia was shocked; she thought she'd have to do a bit more talking than that to get him to work with them.

"Yes, I try to believe in my Squad members, plus if you're right we can remove this huge, secret threat. If you're not, then we don't have to worry any more. Besides, I want to figure out if this boy is really from the future."

**Chapter End**


	13. Don't Play with Fire

**Chapter 13; Don't Play with Fire**

_"Don't worry a bit, your going to be just fine." Orihime smiled warmly at her patient, who was suffering from a broken leg. She raised her orange field around him._

_"Thank you, Ryoka." He muttered, trying to relax. It was hard to, with such a bad break._

_There had to be about ten wounded in this tent, and five stressed 4th squad members. The stress levels continued to rise as they tried to cram in more and more wounded. Orihime was working away the bad reiatsu that clogged the healing process when some shinigami she was unfamiliar with opened the entry flap. "C'mon, you guys have to get out here! Hurry, come see this!"_

_"I'll be right back." She smiled, leaving the healing shield up as she ran outside. She could feel all the reiatsu raising, falling, exploding, it was so crazy that she had just tried to ignore it and do her job but this time it was her gut...or no, perhaps it was that inkling of encaged hollow reiatsu she knew belonged to Ichigo. _

_All the once bustling shinigami's stood in place, staring up at the sky. The city, Karakura, that this hill looked over was completely gone, with the exception of small bits on the outside of the circumference. Her eyes were locked onto the giant crater, she didn't even notice the commotion above. It wasn't until his voice rang out, audible even at this distance, that she snapped out of her dubious shocked state._

_"Rukia!"_

_The crowd gasped as they watched the black box unravel and drop the dying Rukia. After that it seemed to happen so fast. They barely had time to think even 'oh my god, did that really just happen?' before they realized Ichigo had been stabbed through the middle. Orihime gaped up at him. _No. No, this can't happen. Rukia...Ichigo... _It was almost as painful to watch as she imagined it was for him. She pushed through the crowd, she had no clue what she was going to do but she knew that her Nakama needed her. The pounding of her heart drowned out the annoyed complaints of the people she shoved aside. Clearing the crowd she tore down the hill. Their reiatsu's were just thin little threads. She pictured the image Ichigo had given her, all of them going out for burgers... everyone happy. She focused and focused on it. It had to become a reality. She prayed somehow it would give them back strength, or at least give her the strength to save her friends._

_The threads broke, as if cut by a pair of scissor, both threads of the reiatsu's were gone. It was so sudden and shocking that Orihime stumbled over her own two feet. Especially with Ichigo's reiatsu, imagine if for the longest time it felt as if someone had their hands around your throat. Not tightening to a choke, except when in awe of its full potential, just a resctriction. So much so that you were used to it, that it even became a comfort. For Orihime, with that suddenly gone, it was only increasingly terrifying when her lungs suddenly filled with the cold air. She fell flat on her face after stumbling and slipping on the cold grass. _

Please...no... _Orihime's breath shuddered as she lifted it out of the muddy grass to look up at the sky. He was gone. She held her breath, waiting... hoping he would appear somewhere in a flash, having shun-poed away just in time. But it didn't happen._ Ichigo...no no...Ichigo...

_She sat up on her knees, the wind swept the tears off her face as they came pouring out. "Kurosaki-kun!"_

_She crumbled forward, body shaking. "Ichigo! ...it's just not possible. You can't die. You just can't, you always... somehow, you... just don't die. You're not supposed. We're supposed to all be together when this is over. All of us."_

_The world might as well end. Two of her best friends were dead._

_Then she heard the last thing she wanted to hear right now; Aizen. "I win." He stated with a sly smile, holding the ouken up. "Most of your captains are dead, your last hope died with this representative shinigami of yours. The moment of your defeat has come at last, shinigami."_

_Aizen twisted the key, with it the sky seemed to twist around it. Within the center of the vortexed sky a large hole opened. Aizen disappeared into the dark hole in the sky, which closed and untwisted after it had swallowed him._

_The whole hill behind her suddenly burst with clamour. With hope lost, they lost everything, they lost their calm, their directive. Orihime stood up, her mind blank except for what she was doing next... going to them. It was the end, and that was the only place she wanted to be. At the base of the hill she had to climb over a metal fence. Beyond the fence was about half a block of city before it cut off into the humongous crater. Orihime stumbled and tripped a lot, both her body and mind felt too sick, too horrible to be walking this far, to be doing anything really. Her vison swam in an ocean of tears, she tried to choke down the sobs. She was standing on the very edge of the asphalt, broken pipelines proded out underneath her feet, a few dripping with unapeasing liquids, when it came. The gray that seemed to leak all over the sky above them, it dripped down the sides and like an invisible wave covered the world over. _

_Orihime didn't notice, she wouldn't have if she could actually feel that gray coat her body like a strawberry dipped in chocolate fundo. The crater was so huge and her vision so blury, that she couldn't seem to find the bodies. To add to it everything was a melancholic gray and... and she couldn't move her body. The world was on pause. She just hoped that whatever was happening, she was going to the same place Ichigo was. _

_The gray became such a brilliantly white light that it was blinding, yet she couldn't even shut her eyes. It got so bright she was sure it was burning her eyes out of her head. Then it was over._

_No one was still there. No one remembered any of it... except perhaps a sweet little boy with a carrot-top head._

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Ukitake stood in his line, his eyes not focused on anything because he was too much in his head. The captains in turn gave verbal reports for their squads, generally little problems they could use other squads or the Captain Commander's help with. It was just a way for the Soutaichou to reduce the amount of people coming in to ask him for favors, things, or permission to do things they weren't sure they were allowed to do.

It was his turn. Ukitake took a deep breath. "I've lost contact with a member of my squad that was sent to... Karakura town for Residential duties. Her return date was supposed to be three days ago. Her name is Kuchiki Rukia. That's all I have to report."

"Send out a replacement immediately, if you haven't already done so, and the 12th squad and 2nd squad try to find out where she is." The Captain Commander demanded in his rough voice. "I'll be expecting your reports on this by next week. This meeting has ended. You all may leave."

Ukitake glanced at Aizen, hoping he'd catch a smirk, a smile, or something that would show him Aizen really was a bad guy. He'd known Aizen for a long time, over a hundred years! He'd watched Aizen begin at the bottom, and rise through the ranks until they stood on the same platform. It was one of the glories of living so long. But Aizen showed no such signs. The Captains filed out the doors like school children, eager to get to their homes.

His eyes tracked down the hint of yellow, the lining of Soi Fon's shihakushou. He fell behind her and waited till they were out of the dispersing crowd to approach her. "Soi Fon, my I have a word with you?"

"What is it, Ukitake?" She seemed to be in a bad mood.

"I got a tip off that someone was going to try to break into the Central 46. I don't know how reliable the source is but I want to step up the security there as a precautionary measure, just to be safe. I thought some of the members of your squad would be much better suited than any of mine. Is it alright if I borrow a handful of your men?" Ukitake explained, not very intimidated by her grouchiness.

"Why didn't you say anything at the meeting?" She inquired.

"I didn't want to get everybody riled up over a rumor." He stated.

"Hm. But you're still trying to be precautious?" Soi Fon looked at him, so she could analyze his answer. Ukitake simply nodded. "Would this be a permanent thing?"

"Just for a few days, that's all."

"Alright then." She gave in. "I'll send them over to you later. Now, I'm busy Ukitake, if you don't mind, I must get going."

"Yes, thank you, it's a big help."

Ukitake walked back to his office both relieved and tense. More curious than anything, and nervous too. He'd never suspected anything bad about Aizen, he'd always been such a curious person. A large part of him was hoping Rukia's plan wouldn't work; that nobody would show up.

The Thirteenth Squad Captain opened the door to his office, knowing two very anxious people were waiting for him inside. The two were standing infront of his desk, seeming as if they'd barely moved and inch from when he left earlier. He had left over two hours ago and completed a lot of his captain duties before the meeting even started.

"Welcome back, Ukitake-taichou!" Rukia greeted. "How did it go?"

"It went well. Soi Fon said she'd send some of her subordinates over later. How long will it be... if he does go there... when will he go?"

"We don't know. But we really ought to get over there just to be safe." Rukia replied.

"Yes, that would be good." Ukitake agreed. "Listen though, I can't come with you, and I've never been inside the chamber before so I'm not very familiar with the layout. Your reiatsu supressing devices should be enough to get you there. There's water surrounding the building, but it's not too deep. It should be knee-deep at the most. There are gaurds usually posted at the front gate, but you should be able to get over the wall without being noticed. The front door has a tight security system with gaurds posted there as well. I suggest approaching from the side rather than the front and avoid any sort of confrontation entirely." Ukitake handed Rukia a grappling hook looking thing. "This is more of a construction device used for putting circular windows in, but I figured it would fit the situation well. Use it on one of the walls, it will serve as your entrance, and one for the execution squad members."

"Thank you, for putting all of this work in to it." Ichigo stated gratefully.

"Not a problem." Ukitake laughed, the boy was cute. Ukitake's large hand rubbed the top of Ichigo's rustic head. He handed Ichigo a walky-talky. "This way we can communicate. You be careful now, alright? Just stick to the mission and stay quiet."

"Yes, sir!" Ichigo grinned back, happy to recieve such mild affection from someone like Ukitake. Despite how shortly they had known each other, he strived for contact to this world he knew once belonged to him.

"We're leaving, c'mon Ichigo!" Rukia called, knowing time might be of the essence. "Thank you very much, Taichou!"

Ichigo followed her out obidiently. Outside, his eyes studied everything, hungerly absorbing all he could see.

"You ready?" Rukia asked, interupting his sightful feast.

He gave her a short nodd. "Of course I am, it's why we're here after all."

Although it took them a while to find the location of the Central 46, the trip was very uneventful. Shinigami were easy enough to dodge, they'd hide and let the others pass. Or if they couldn't find any escape they just did their best to walk without looking suspicious, after all they were Shinigami too. It worked easily, although they decided it was best not to push their luck so they did it only when they had to. When they did find it, getting over the wall was as simple as ABC. Just a little shun-po did the trick and they were in the water on the other side.

"Cooold. Cooold. Cooooold." Ichigo breathed, the water came up higher on him then it did on Rukia. She softly shushed him, although there was an underlying tone of annoyance in her 'shhh'. They wadded over to the side of the building. The building was pretty small, about the size of a three bedroom house. Rukia took out the grappling hook looking thing that Ukitake had given her, she carefully snapped each of the prongs backwards before she pressed it against a part of the wall. The legs spun, emitting a faint yellow glow as they seperated the reishi around the edges. Thankfully the machine was silent, except for a very low, barely detectable hum.

_Pop! _the device fell off, like a suction-cup coming unsuctioned from the wall. Rukia caught it before it hit the water. There was a circle in the wall, she grabbed onto the edges and pulled out a hefty cyllinder of the stone. Ichgio quickly helped her lower it into the water. They found if they put it right under the hole it provided as a step up. The hole was deep, which meant the walls were thick. Probably a good protective measure.

"I'm going first." Rukia whispered to him before climbing up into the hole. As soon as her feet disappeared into the black abyss he clamber up onto the stepping stone and crawled through the hole as well. Their hole opened into a tall room, a closed door in the direction of the entrance, and a stair case that began both on the left and right sides of the room. Rukia grinned, looking at him as he crawled into the room. "This is perfect!"

"How so?" It didn't feel very perfect to him.

"If we stay up there." Rukia pointed to the top of the stairs. "Aizen will come through that door, and he'll be intercepted. We'll be able to alert Ukitake from a safe distance. Just..."

"Just what?"

"This hole. Don't you think he'll find it suspicious?" Rukia frowned. "It looks very suspicious to me."

"Don't worry, he'll wonder what it is until he sees that it's our ninjaduct. For easy ninja flow throughout the building." Ichigo laughed. "Who cares if he finds it suspicous? He'll only have so long to ponder it."

"Alright. I won't worry about the ninjaduct then." She scoffed. Rukia got up to climb up the stairs. Her heart was already racing with anxiety, not knowing when it would come. They got comfortable up there, at the very top of the stair case, infront of the hall that led into a different room. Sitting there they waited.

And they waited.

And they waited.

"Hour 26, still no sign." Rukia quietly reported into the walky.

"Man, I never realized how sore imobility can make you." Ichigo complained, attempting to stretch out. His body was stiff from lack of movement, and his legs were asleep. "I wish something would happen soon."

"Just be patient, and keep your voice down." She whispered scoldingly.

Ichigo quickly sat up straight. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" She grumbled back, not hearing much of anything.

He steadied his breath so he could hear anything that might be quieter than his own breath. "That!" He jumped, twirling to look at her.

"I don't hear anything." Rukia told him with mild frustration.

_Bang!_ She heard that, not only heard it, she could feel it. The slightly colder air that infiltrated their confined space, the sense of another's pressence; the doors below them were opened. Rukia fumbled, nearly dropping the walkytalky as she brought it up to talk in. "He's here."

They both shut their eyes, counting down the seconds it took, how many seconds Aizen was right below them. The ninjaduct succeeded. It didn't take very many seconds before there were at least ten Execution Squad members in the room. It brought relief to the two look outs. There were sounds of clashing metal, screams, and a variety of nerve wrecking sounds, a moment of chaos, yet it wasn't the worst part. The most disturbing part was the abrupt silence that followed shortly after. The adrupt silence that made the two look at each other with wide eyes. The adrupt silence that made them both realize that something had gone wrong. Sure, they knew Aizen was good... but they didn't realize he was that fast. Fast enough to wipe out their 'ninja's' (as Ichigo liked to call them) in less then a minute? There was no way Ukitake would be that fast with his part.

_I've got to do something. We just need a little bit longer. If Rukia was smart she got that Hougyoku taken out by Urahara before we came... We have to move fast or we'll lose the upper hand. What are we going to do? Can we hold him off until Ukitake gets here? Should we run? _

"I need to know, did you have Urahara take the Hougyoku out before we came?" Ichigo whispered as quietly and inaudibly as he could. Rukia shook her head no.

"I asked but he didn't have the device. He had no idea how long it would take to remake it." She very very quietly replied.

Her words made him cringe. _Dang it, he gets his hand on that and it's over. I can't let that happen. Our plan is in jeopardy...heck, the world is in jeopardy at this point!_

"Listen, Rukia, go to the main chamber. Call Ukitake, tell him we better cut our losses and to bring what back up he can. Then see if you can get the Central 46 judges out of here, as a precationary action. Okay? I'll meet back up with you when Ukitake-taichou gets here." Ichigo gestured towards the main hallway that led further into the center of the building.

"Wait, what are _you _doing?" Rukia asked, already thinking she knew what was on his mind.

"I'm just stallling." Ichigo responded, messing with the black band around his wrist, Rukia had taken them off for him when they were training together, and he hadn't worn the head band until it was time to come here. So he didn't have the slightest clue how to take it off.

"No way, that's too dangerous." Rukia rejected, she grabbed his hand, pulling him. "You're coming, no excuses, hurry we have to get out of here before Aizen finds us."

"Well, I think it's a little too late for that." The voice was neither of theirs, which only gave one other option. His hair not brushed back, standing at the base of the landing, glasses and all; Aizen's brown eyes looked down at them with the slightest of smirks.

Rukia didn't hesitate, she knew too well what was needed of her in that moment. She darted for the door, dragging Ichigo behind her, going as fast as she could. They were losing the upperhand... they might have lost hope of regaining it without aid from Ukitake's part. "Why do you have to be so stubborn, can't you just listen to me?"

"I had a plan, Rukia, if you... if you just trusted me."

She yanked him around a random corner, the stairs climbed downwards on their side, in the middle was a large door, most likely one that opened into the main judgement chamber. "If I trusted you, you'd be dead!"

"You need to understand, Rukia. If he gets the Hougyoku we can not defeat him. We'll lose again. There's no way we can win if it becomes a full-blown war. Why did you even bring up doing this if it was still inside of you?"

"Well, I wasn't planning on actually taking part in this part of the plan, or I would have. I'm calling Ukitake." Rukia raised the walky up to speak but it suddenly burst into flames. She dropped it, startled.

"Hadou 54." The imperturbable, unmistakeable person spoke, staring down their chosen pathway. "The abolishing flame, able to completely burn an object, a limb, or someone of low reiatsu completely to dust. Ah, if it isn't Kuchiki Rukia. The shinigami supposedly lost to the world of the living. Seems you've seen through my plan. Yet you showed up here yourself. How very brave of you."

The flames died out below her feet, the walky, just as he had said, was nothing but a pile of ashes. Ichigo grabbed Zangetsu's hilt and pulled it out, the bandages unflurreling from the glorious blade. He grabbed the handle with both hands, removing his back from the wall to stand face to face with the scariest person he could ever think to face; Aizen Sousuke.

"What are you doing?" Rukia whispered harshly, reaching for her zanpakutou as well. _We can't fight him! What is Ichigo thinking?_

It wasn't like he wanted to fight. They were trapped in a corner, what else was there to do? _All I have to do is hold him off. Just until Ukitake comes. When he brings the other Captains, they'll take over. So just until then. I can do this. He can't get to Rukia. She's my first priority._

"We know about everything. Your plan is ruined. We know about the Hougyoku, and the Ouken, every part of it. We know all about your zanpakutou. Everything! You can never win; so you better just give it up, Aizen." Ichigo bravely claimed.

Aizen grabbed the hilt of his zanpakutou. "I see. I better take out the trash then."

The pair of them clamped their eyes shut as he drew his sword, they knew better then to fall into his perfect hypnosis. Aizen found a little proof of their words through their actions. "That's fine with me. If you know so much as much as you claim, then you are indeed a threat."

"Bankai; _Kudakeru_, _Kyouka Suigetsu Jitsuzai Shihai_." His cold voice slipped over the words like a snake, each with an impounding venom.

The sword literally melted out of his hand, oozing down to the floor. Ichigo gave in to look, he could not believe Aizen would just go straight to bankai... that was unheard of. He had never released his bankai in the book, not once. Ichigo was pretty sure that _He_ had no clue what Aizen's bankai was. So why of all times was he using it now?! A puddle of silver and green rippled outward beneath their feet, the rippling melted to the floor, until the tiles beneath their feet unnaturaly rippled with a silver shine. Once, twice, three times and that's all it seemed to do until the rippling stopped it's path on the ground. Ichigo could feel it ripple up his body, a very strange sensation. Just once and he couldn't feel anything more.

"D...Did you feel that?" He asked aloud.

"Feel what?" Rukia asked back. Rukia grabbed his shoulder and spun him around to face her. "Feel what? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." He assured.

"Come here, Ms. Kuchiki, I need the Hougyoku." Aizen commanded. "I must thank you, even if you have messed up my original plan this will work just fine, plus you have removed a good deal of length from it."

"I refuse to listen to the likes of you." Rukia spat.

"Maybe I should just burn him alive then." Aizen's expression never changed from his collected, calm, and callous appearance, that anything that happened outside of his plan was plain amusement and the world a mind game, which he knew how to play far too well. He had an unrivaled ability to know exactly how people reacted or would react to certain events. He was a master of manipulation; someone deserving of fear.

Rukia looked at Ichigo scared. Ichigo felt a strange tingling in his right arm. He lifted up his hand, the feeling increasing. Then suddenly his whole arm burst into flames. "Gaaaaaaaaah!"

He waved it, frantically trying to make it go away. His arm burned like crazy, the heat of the flames were very real.

When Ichigo freaked out, Rukia was caught in a second of dumbfoundedness; she couldn't see the flames. Rukia ran and grabbed both his arms in a restraining grasp. "Calm down, Ichigo! It's not real! Snap out of it! There is no fire! It's just in your head."

But his right arm felt hot to the touch, it was so hot that she quickly withdrew her hand. One glance at his arm was all she needed to see the bright pink flesh that seemed to be melting away and blackening. After she released his arm he fell to the ground, stuttering a distressed scream as the fire burned his flesh. he tried to beat them out but it wasn't effected in the least.

"Stop it! Make it stop!" She screeched at Aizen, feeling completely hopeless.

The flickering tongues of fire sizzled down and disappeared. Smoke rose from his burnt arm, his eyes were wide in shock, disbelief and fright. Ichigo's small body was crouched over, having taken too much from that little experience.

Rukia dropped down beside him. "...Ichigo? Are you okay?"

"I...I..." He looked over at her, amber eyes watering. "I don't care what he says. You can't give it to him, or we'll never win. Rukia, please get out of here..."

"Kyouka Suigetsu Jitsuzai Shihai; The Illusions that Control Reality. You see, whatever illusions I decide to conjur up for him, effect his body. My bankai doesn't just give me control over his senses, but his reality as well. Anything I make him hear, see, or feel is completely real to him." Aizen calirfied.

"That's not possible! It's not fair, if that's true..." Rukia stumbled over her words. _If that's true then how could anybody win against him? Every bankai has some flaw, some weakness._

"Every Bankai allows for an instant victory, given the correct circumstances, that's its purpose. It's the Ultimate Weapon. Why else would it be so hard to achieve? It goes for every Bankai, not just mine. For me, it's best used against a single opponent. But in this situation it works just fine. Come over here."

Rukia emptily shook her head.

"Maybe it doesn't. I can fix that."

Through Ichigo's eyes a large stone hand rose out of the ground from beneath him, the fingers wrapped around his neck in a choking hold. The hand kept rising, with him. It rose higher and higher, where the arm came down a rocky head emerged from the floor. It was like a giant rock person hoisting themself out of the ground.

Rukia was pettrified. He lifted off the ground and became suspended in the air. Nothing was holding him, nothing supporting him. That was a step up from the fire. If he could do this, any effects weren't just confined to the mind and body of a small child, but through that kid there were ways he could effect the rest of reality. She couldn't fathom what he was seeing.

Rather than completing the tightened grip and blocking all air off for good (which wasn't too far from how tight it was now). The giant rock golem barreled into the side of the building. The wall broke easily and the fresh air barely seemed to tickle his lungs, as if to tease him of the basic need he was being deprived of. It's hold unclamped, dropping him onto the ground.

While he was dazed the palm of its hand contacted the side of his head. It wasn't as hard as he was expecting it to be, but then it's large fingers wrapped around his head. He couldn't get away, he couldn't fight it, the rock monster lifted him off the ground by his head. _Whaaam! _It slammed him hard into the brick wall, the wall itself cracked from the force of his body smashing into it. Ichigo's hands scrambled, trying to get out of it's grip as it pulled him back. _Whaaam! _Again he was slammed full force into the wall, which gave away and let his body pass through it. He could feel himself bleeding from various points on his body, it was very unpleasent... no unpleasant was an understatement. His tiny fist banged and scratched at the rock as again he was pulled back out. The golem's torso twist 180 degrees so that the wall in its favored thrusting spot was not crumbling in upon itself. _I have to... Whaaam!_ His arms fell limp at his sides as it pulled him back, leaving him no longer the strength to fight back. It was like the first time he'd ever seen a hollow, when Tatsuki was there and he'd been knocked into that brick wall, but on repeat. His right eye was covered by the stone, his left stung from the blood that was running down his head. His neck ached, having no support for his body it was the only thing attaching it to his head.

The monster lifted Ichigo high above it's head and chucked him. He was half-conscious anyway that he didn't really even realize it until he crashed into the ground hundreds of yards away. All he could manage to do was thank the high heavens it was over. He breathed deeply, trying to lift himself up... it was just too much too fast. His arms stung angrily when he applied any pressure at all. Ichigo gave up, allowing himself to collapse into the rugged ground beneath him. He closed his eyes, taking what comfort from the flooring he could.

Unfortunately, it wasn't long before he could hear the large, stone feet thundering towards him. It was ever so frightening. _I can't go down like this, I can't stay here_. Ichigo pressed his palm firmly on the ground, he groaned sourfully as he pushed himself up. Unexpectedly the golem tossed his zanpaktou down infront of him, it clanked loudly, causing him to flinch. Grudgingly he grabbed Zangetsu's handle as he forced himself to stand. _I can't die here. _His blood boiled. _I can't let you kill us again. Even though this choice was mine, I was being foolish. I have people who need me back home... so I can't die, no matter what. _He reached up weakly, giving the headband a tug, not really caring if he ripped it or not. The back ends detached and allowed him easily to remove it, he quickly shoved the head band and the arm bands (which he removed in the same manner) into the top fold of his shihakushou.

"I'm going to end this." He growled, turning to the large, stone golem towering above him. He charged forward with his zanpkatou. A large fist smashed down infront of him, he dodged it with ease and swung the butcher-knife blade into its leg. In went about half way through the tough rock. The hand he had dodged unexpectedly slammed into his back, throwing him and Zangetsu several feet. In this body, his soul, the ground cracked so easily beneath him. It hurt, but not as much as it would were he in human form. It was a sense of invincibility. Not one-hundred-percent, but a taste of it. He landed at an awkward angle, upside-down. He stood up, grabbed his zanpaktou, and went at it again.

The creature was already facing him, it didn't seem at all burdened by it's cracked leg. Ichigo glowered, the anger in his eyes unnatural for him. He gripped the hilt, his focus intense. _I can do this. _He wipped away a little trek of blood that had begun to run into his eye. His feet adjusted and he took off.

He was aimed for the leg again, if he could complete the cut the golem would lose it's steady base. Hopefully it would just fall over or trip or something. It's large arm came sweeping from the side, like a large tidal the tiles crumbled and built up infront it. Instead of trying to dodge or run he ran up the built up rubble right onto it's rock arm. He ran along and lunged off the back, clear. Zangetsu slid through it's leg, completing the cut. _Yes!_

Mud seeped out of the creatures body, it ran down it's arms and legs, collecting into a muddy heap. Ichigo just watched confused, he didn't realize the mud was building onto the stoney structure. It not only fixed the broken leg but made the golem several feet taller... and gave it more rock-muscle.

It grew several feet from it's recovery, which made it very tall considering how big it had already been. Ichigo struck the sword straight out infront of him. Unable to deny the fear that shook his body. The bandaged tail wrapped his arm up, his ember irises alit a deep blue. "BAN-KAI!"

His black reiatsu covered him, whisking away the heaviness of his large sword and constructing the cape around him. He ran at the golem before it was even complete. He could feel the increase of speed, he could feel how much easier, how much smoother his muscles seemed to move. A human would never believe the lightness and feeling of freedom being a soul brought about, nonetheless this! This was ten times that. It felt as if he were weightless. It felt as if his muscles were solitary, confined, the rest of his body put no weight, no restaint on them and each movement felt like a white hot knife cutting through butter. It was inspiring and encouraging.

It was enough to relieve the feelings from his cracked bones.

Ichigo lunged up, set on slicing through it's center. The black blade stabbed through the core of the golem's torso, a crack ran both up and down. The monster unexpectedly shatter like glass, into lots of little stones that rained down. Ichigo rained down with them into the very middle of this pile of rubble. Small chunks fell ontop of him, nearly burying him beneath it.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Rukia glanced at Aizen, then back at the hole. She decided to make a break for it, she couldn't stay here with him, and Ichigo needed her. She bolted out the small hole in the wall where Ichigo had broken through. Very nervously she tried to looked around, praying Aizen wasn't following her, or doing anything to stop her. The walls on the street next to the Central 46 were very broken but she didn't see Ichigo anywhere. _I have to catch up to him fast._

xXxXxXx

"Darn those two! It's their fault we have to do this boring job." Shirayama complained, hanging his head. "Nothing ever happens so why do they always have gaurds everywhere? And why do we have to sweep? What sense does that make?"

"The Captain likes to kill two birds with one stone. Besides... it's more of something to do, since nothing does really ever happen, so we have something to kill the time with." Takezaki explained in a know-it-all manner. "They can't just not have gaurds posted around for the occasions that things do happen. It's a requirement for all squads."

"Alright, what ever you say." Shirayama slumped against the wall, bored out of his mind. "Hey, you got any sake on you?"

"Yeah right." Takezaki laughed. "Ukitake would put _us_ in a holding cell for drinking on duty!"

"Nah, I doubt it. The Captain's more layed-back then that. He's friends with the Captain of 8th squad right? He's always drinking. On duty or off duty."

"Yeah, but there's the difference of ranks. We're unseated, and he's a Captain. When you're a captain you can drink sake all day and be a lazy bum if that's what you feel inspired to do." Takezaki laughed.

"Don't look now, looks like we've got visitors." Shirayama sighed, spotting the small group of shinigami approaching them.

"Good eye there, Sherlock. I do believe you're right." Takezaki grinned teasingly.

"Enough out of you, shut your trap or I'll hit you with my broomstick." Shirayama grumbled annoyed. The band of 13th division shinigamis arrived, there were only four, but they all had very serious expressions on.

"Hey, did you guys get the order?" One of their vistors asked anxiously.

"Nope. The only order we've gotten is stand here and sweep this here side walk." Shirayama responded.

"A major order was sent out, they said that all unseated officers are to return to their Squad Barracks. No exceptions."

"Wow. I've never gotten an order like that before. What's going on? It sounds serious!" Takezaki exclaimed.

"They didn't tell us anything more than that. But something's happening. You can feel it, can't you? Such an unusual reiatsu... feels like a battle is beginning."

"Well, we'd better get out of here then! If they want us cleared that must mean it's a messy matter that might get carried away." Takezaki hopped over to their ranks, with Shirayama following more sluggishly behind.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

It didn't stop there. It wouldn't. All of the rocks, now in a large pile arond him, began to shake. They clattered and vibrated beneath his palms. Ichigo scrambled off as quickly as he could. He jumped up onto the top of the wall, not wanting to wait around to watch what was happening, he ran back in the assumed direction of the Central 46, of Rukia... and of Aizen.

Then clattering followed him. Covering the wall a muddy mixture of the rocks seemed to have reached up like a hand, it followed him along the wall. It's rocks clanked together, the rest of it's mass followed in the street below him. It made no move to attack him. It was as if it was waiting. Even when he sped up, to shun-po speed, it kept pace. It was making him nervous.

What was it waiting for?

Suddenly the muddy arm grabbed his leg, tripping him as it pulled him off the top of the wall. Ichigo wasted no time getting back onto his feet, although his body complained from the abuse he pushed it to the back of his mind.

The rocks and mud rolled up into six large piles that continued to bubble and harden into several miniature golems. They weren't necessarily small, just small in comparison to the large one. Ichigo didn't wait for them to be completed, he swung his sword back in preperation of a wider stroke before he ran at the forming mud man. His bankai sliced right through, cutting it in half. The creature slowly fell back; its two pieces landing just a foot from each other. Ichigo watched carefully making sure it wasn't going to revive. It just layed there, but the others seemed mad. Their muddy exteriors hardened into rock as they released horrible screeches. They charged at him.

But Ichigo had regained a good amount of courage, he could move a lot faster than they could, especially in his bankai. Unhesitantly he tackled the task before him, in mere seconds he zipped through the center, slicing all of them, sometimes more than once. So that when he was done, not a minute later their imobile rock bodies lay on the ground around him, mud dripping down Zangetsu's black blade.

They didn't move. They didn't rebuild, or even shake. He felt accomplished. Ichigo grinned, as tired and dirty as he was he actually had managed to destroy that _thing_. **Unveil the truth before your eyes, boy. **The voice spoke directly into his head. _What was that...?_

Ichigo saw then his beautiful black blade, smeared with the faintish crisp color of a crimson red compared to dullish gray-brown of the mud it had been seconds before. He trembled, staring at it, the glossiness reflecting his own frightened expression. His face was also speckled with red dots, although it was of less consequence with his messy hair already stiffening with dried blood that leaked from his head.

_No..._ Ichigo lowered his sword and looked around him where the six golems had laid in half across the ground. Instead six shinigami were spread-eagle across the street, some spilling red blood from deep open wounds, others completely in half as the golems were. His stomach wrenched, Ichigo bent over, the little containts of his stomach pouring out his mouth. The disgusting taste stayed behind in his mouth but his mind was racing to fast to acknowledge it. He did this. That was the worst part of all. He had just done this.

Ichigo staggered backwards, falling onto his butt. His palms pressed into the red liquid. "No...no...no..."

**This is the truth. What you have done.**

"It's my reality!" He screamed. "It's not supposed to be real! It's my reality! It effects my reality! Not their's!"

**But you can effect their reality. You're actions are still very real to the world outside your controlled reality.**

Ichigo burst into tears, his glowing ambers observing more than they should of the scene around him. His knees curled up to his chest, he held his head in his hands. "I didn't mean to do it. I didn't mean to kill anybody..."

**Yet you did. That is something you will never forget.**

"Shut up!" He yelled, quaking. "Just shut up!"

He sat there, trying to reject it, not believing it, denying it until the thin layer of blood beneath him became sticky and his heart had just about cracked in half. Ichigo soberly stood up, his will and energy gone, he had to return. He had to find Rukia. They had to finish this.

xXxXxXx

Rukia ran along the street, trying to follow his burning reiatsu to the source. She didn't know how long she'd been searching, she was too afraid that Aizen would show up, or be around the corner every step. When she at last turned the corner and spotted her mark she nearly jumped out of her skin!

Rukia found him! Thank god she found him. Yet, seeing him was frightening. His orange hair looked like molten lava, a mixture of reds and oranges. His eyes held emotions, a look into part of his soul that she'd never seen before; a child so scared that his survival instincts had well taken over although the outer-shell of the trembling boy remained. When she saw him at last, standing before her, she just wanted to run up and hug him but something told her it wasn't the right moment. Instead she grabbed his shoulders. "You're alive."

She would've gone with 'you're alright', but frankly he didn't look like he was alright, so she settled with the next best thing. Before she realized what he was doing he swung the blade of his zanpakutou up to her throat, it halted a fraction of an inch before her skin.

"You're not Rukia." He declared, his voice taking on a dark tone as he stared into her eyes.

"Move Zangetsu, Ichigo, it is me." Rukia said so in her commanding, annoyed tone.

"Sorry, but that's not good enough." He growled. He knew the best way to get his gaurd down was with Rukia, so if he were Aizen, he'd just have Rukia be the one attacking. It was definetly the most effective approach, thusly he couldn't not let his gaurd down. "How old am I?"

"Fifteen minus six." Rukia replied, knowing what kind of answer he wanted. He didn't let up just yet so Rukia continued. "Nine if you don't count everything that happened, the same age you were when your mother died. But due to certain events you are again nine and your mother is alive... and I'm sure by now you wish you'd stayed with her instead of coming with me."

Ichigo lowered his zanpaktou cautiously, who knew if this allowed Aizen to see into his mind, into his memories. "How did you get away?"

"I just ran. Strangely Aizen didn't really do anything about it."

"Did he now?" Ichigo muttered, feeling that her response was a bit ify. "Have you seen Ukitake at all?"

Rukia shook her head soberly. "No, I haven't."

"Should it be taking him this long?! Where the heck is he!? By now he should know, right?" Ichigo rambled, pulling away from Rukia. He felt too overwhelmed, it almost felt like he was watching the world through a slowed stobe light; flashing black every few seconds. He looked around the dull world, the bland sky. Everything looked viewed through a browninsh shade of monochrom. He couldn't tell if it was stress, if he'd gotten knocked a little too hard in the noggin, or if it was Aizen just messing around with his head. He suddenly sceamed up to the sky, while stumbling back words. "We screwed up! Where are you, taichou!? We really need you right now!"

"Shhh! What if Aizen finds us?" Rukia scolded, looking around nervously.

"Are you serious?!" Ichigo exclaimed in a very loud voice. "You seriously believe he doesn't know where you are?! Why else would he let you just run, he knew where you would go! He can tell that you're here, believe me, he can! He has control. He c-controls...everything... he can't do that...he couldn't if he...he has to..." His last sentence was dropped into the blender as images of what had just happened flashed through his head. The world rocked around him as the images melted into his reality, and rather than standing beside Rukia he was back there. He clamped his eyes shut, counting down from 5. _Go away go away...please go away. _When he reached zero he opened them.

The world was unveiled back to it's orginal state. Rukia's hands were firmly grabbing his shouders, a very concerned look on her face. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Just vertigo..." He replied under his breath. "You need to go Rukia. Before..."

Yes, it was inevitable. Before his sentence was complete you-know-who appeared a little down the way. He seemed perfectly calm, perfectly collect, the way he always seemed to be.

"Hello kids. I could really use the Hougyoku right now, it seems you two have caused quite an uproar." Aizen approached them with his calm, controlled mannerisms. Ichigo struck his arm out protectively in front of Rukia.

"Stop doing that I don't need you to protect me, I can fight, Ichigo." Rukia muttered, drawing her zanpakutou.

"I know you can fight Rukia, but if he gets it everything will just happen all over again. We can't let that happen." Ichigo whispered back in frustration. "I know I'm small, and new at this but for now just let me do this, I'm a lot stronger than you are."

"No. I can't let you do that. You've done enough! Get over yourself and step down, Ichigo." Rukia demanded.

Ichigo shot an annoyed look back at her, as he brought his hand up to his face. The boney mask quickly covered it and glazed his eyes in yellow-on-black. "Go back and stay out of the way."

The rush of hollow energy burst from his body, knocking Rukia back onto her butt. He charged at Aizen without a single second of hesitation. How did things come to this? This wasn't supposed to happen. It all seemed so easy, so simple...so innocent at first, this wasn't the direction they should've gone. Rukia had made a promise to protect him, if anything happened she was supposed to protect him with her life. But he wouldn't let up and she was the one being protected; he was going to die. "Ichigo! Stop it, you moron! You're gonna get yourself killed!"

"Don't follow me. Get away from here, go get help!" His tiny, childish voice managed to bellow before he charged foward with an insane speed. Aizen engaged him, the reiatsu where the two met caused the ground and the walls around them to collapse. The tiling that seemed that covered the bottom of the Seireitei covered the sweawer system down below, so the the floor beneath them crumbled in. Ichigo fell in, but he was able to land on his feet.

Aizen pursued, the two disappeared underneath the ground. Rukia gapped dumbfoundedly at the trail of cracks that followed the two further and further away. Why did he have to be stubborn? She hadn't really realized that was one of his characteristics at the point... that he'd still be as stubborn as he seemed in the book. Why did it have to go wrong? If he would've just followed her. If he hadn't argued they'd be fine... right?

The confined space made things more so confusing. It was dark, with the exception of faint redish lights that kept getting smashed from their destructive fight. One second he was engaged, blocking attacks when suddenly no one was there attacking him. Ichigo looked around confused. Suddenly he got knocked off the pathway from behind. He was plunged into the dirty water that had who-knows-what floating around inside of it. He could see from the faint red light that broke through the surface how very deep this cannal was. Around it must've been twelve feet deep and twelve feet wide. The water pushed against his body, propelling him further and further away from where he'd been. They water just seemed to get dirtier and darker. He was jostled around before he got low enough the touch the bottom.

Ichigo kicked off the ground, enough strength in his shinigami legs popped him up out of the murky water. Where he came up all of the lights were out, only very faint orange-ish red glows were visible in the distance. He landed on the sidewalk area, shivering and wet.

"Ai-Zen!" He angrily shouted down the dark tunnel. He was afraid that Aizen had turned back, he was mad and scared... and cold.

"I'm right here." A flash of white lightening hit the roof from out of the pitch black, opening up a hole to the sky. Ichigo took the offer to get out of the damp, stingy sewer system. He shot right up through the hole. He took a deep breath, his face sweating beneath the hollow mask. He felt the mask crack. His left hand reached up, feeling for the crack. It began up at his right cheek bone and spread downward. He had no clue how to fix it. There had to be some trick to it.

Ichigo quickly gave it up, realizing now wasn't the time for trail and error. Behind him, across the jagged hole in the ground, was Aizen. The only part that surprised him was Aizen having not made a move yet. They just seemed to stand there, their eyes locked with intensity.

"No matter how determind you look, you can't kill me." Aizen declared.

"I don't care what you say. It doesn't matter to me who defeats you, as long as you're taken down! Maybe I don't have what it takes to kill you, but that's beside the point!" Ichigo shouted back.

Aizen shook his head. "That's not quite what I meant."

Aizen appeared across the gap, giving Ichigo hardly enough time to block Aizen's zanpaktou with his own blade. Aizen pushed back, their blade's friction spurted bright sparks as the two danced an minacious tango backwards; blocking, gaurding, parrying, clashing blade against blade. No matter how hard he tried the younger of the two was the rabbit being chased by a fox, the one being pursued, the one being pushed around and forced to block every oncoming blow. It was Ichigo who finally broke their rythmic movements, rather than blocking, he dodge beneath the blade catching it from underneath with his own to prevent it from falling on his head he escaped past Aizen's back.

Ichigo spun around, planting the tip of his blade in the ground as he lifted himself into the air. Aizen blocked the foot that was thrown at his head with one hand, the other drove his zanpakutou straight towards the boy. Ichigo let himself fall, letting gravity take it's hold on him if not pulling down on the hilt of his katana so that the sword stabbed the air right above him. It came so close the sharp edge nicked the very tip of his nose. Ichigo removed his sword from it's implantment, landing on his back.

"Getsuga Tenshou!" Ichigo yelled, horizantly blocking another attemptive blow from Aizen. The traitor captain was knocked back but otherwise unharmed. Ichigo rolled up onto his feet, releasing a second, silent cresent that Aizen grabbed with his hand and redirected upwards. When he looked Ichigo was standing right infront of him, his black katana sweeping a wide circle towards him. Aizen caught it too with his bare hand, slicing his own sword diagnoly up Ichigo's body.

The fact that he was able to ignore it, as completly difficult as that was, was his saving factor. As bad as it hurt he didn't allow it to stutter his movements. Ichigo yanked his blade from Aizen's hand, quickly using it to twist Aizen's to the ground. He stepped on the blade, keeping it out of the way and swung an unblocked attack.

Ichigo's blade stopped a milimeter away from Aizen's throat. The traitor captain didn't move to block or deflect, as if to him this was all something he completely expected. That he knew the boy couldn't move the sword the rest of the way.

It wasn't that something physical was halting his movement. He couldn't bring himself to do it. He was sure he had it in him to swing just a little further, yet he stopped. This set up was way too unusual. Would Aizen really put that much faith into what he thought that he'd really let Ichigo get this far? He'd have to absolutely know Ichigo would stop, but even Aizen would never risk something like that. Especially how he was standing so calmly. Who knew, in his now malfunctioning mind, if what he saw was real? What if Aizen somehow had Rukia standing there instead? What if it happened again... what if he ended up killing her? There was no way this was as he saw it.

Ichigo's hand began shaking. He wanted to so badly end this. To end all the trouble this man had put him through today, and might put him through in the future. He wanted to eradicate Aizen, but he couldn't. Ichigo dropped his gaze defeatedly, withdrawing his blade back to his side.

"I told you, you couldn't do it." Aizen smirked apathetically. He grabbed the front of Ichigo's shihakushou. "Just because you know what I can do."

Aizen's leg rammed terribly hard into his back, propelling him higher and higher into the air.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Tatsuki corssed her fingers and prayed, as she neared the Kurosaki household, that her conversation with Ichigo had sunk in... or changed something. _Please, if you give me anything in my life, at least just give me this. _

It felt hard that she had a life of her own, she just felt the need to stay by his side, but she couldn't. Seeing him last time, it scared her. She didn't want them to begin to grow apart. She didn't want them to lose what they had, such a strong friendship. She didn't want the times she spent with him, not even a month earlier, to become memories. He opened up to her, and by doing so explained why he was pushing away from everyone. For some reason... it had scared her that he could just shove a wedge in there, between the two of them. So all she wanted to do was remove it, repair it, but her own problems, her own family, her school work, they kept her from him.

Tatsuki enhaled deeply before knocking on the front door. It was long before she could hear some stifled movement, and then a little voice. "Who is it?"

"Um... it's Tatsuki." She answered confusedly. The door cracked open, two little heads peeked through the crack.

"It weally is Tatsuki! Hello!" Yuzu grinned. Karin grabbed her hand and led her inside.

"Where is everybody?" Tatsuki asked, looking around at the empty looking house. The table was littered with crayons and papers. Yuzu and Karin climbed into their seats. She pulled out a chair and sat down for a moment, not really mentally commiting herself to her seat. She looked at finished pictures all over the table, they were very well done, for their age. "You guys aren't alone are you?"

"No." Yuzu shook her head. "Dwaddy's working."

"And Mwommy is upstaiws, she's puttin up zee waundary." Karin completed.

"That's good, but you should never open the door for anyone, okay? That could be dangerous. Next time get your parents or your brother first, okay?" Tatsuki gently scolded the little children who really weren't hers to scold. "I'm going to go up and see your brother, okay?"

"He's not here." Yuzu stated with a frown.

"Oh... do you know when he'll be back?" Tatsuki asked.

Karin pursued her lips. "We don't. Dey never even told us he was leaving."

Masaki walked down the stairs carrying an empty laundry basket, she seemed spacey and failed at first to even notice they had a guest. When she finally did realize it she seemed to nearly jump out of her skin. "Oh! Tatsuki! You nearly gave me a heart-attack."

"Sorry, Mrs. Kurosaki, I didn't mean to. I just came to hang out with Ichigo, they said he's not here." Tatsuki stood up, speaking as politely as she could.

"That's correct, sorry, but he's not home right now. He's staying with a friend." Masaki told her, setting the basket down. "He'll be gone for a few days infact."

Sadly, Tatsuki was taken aback. The sad part was that she never thought he might have friends, implying how pathetic she probably thought he was... To realize for the first time that he really might have some friends, beside her, made her feel like a real big jerk. "Oh... do you know when he'll be back? When did he leave?"

"Umm...He left after your last visit... same day I believe. He should be back in three or four days." Masaki smiled, seeing the surprised expression still stuck to Tatsuki's face. "It came up pretty suddenly for us too. Isshin said it would be good for him."

_'Oh no son, you're depressed, let's send him to go live with a friend! Yeah that'll fix things!' What kinda logic is that?! _Tatsuki just smiled. "Alright, well, I'll come back then. Might I ask which friend he's staying with?"

"Her name is Rukia." Masaki answered politely.

"Rukia, really?" Tatsuki was again surprised. Did they realize Rukia was like... a dead person?

"Do you know her?" Masaki inquired curiously.

"Sorta... Ichigo has told me a lot about her." She replied nervously. Masaki didn't question her answer so Tatsuki stood, waving. "Thank you for your time, Mrs. Kurosaki. If he gets in early please have him call me or something."

"Not a problem, Tatsuki-chan." Masaki waved back, she paused mid-wave, thought seemed to have interupted her. She followed Tatsuki to the door and lowered her voice as to not arrouse the girls. "May I ask you a question?"

"Sure, why not."

"The other day... did he tell you anything...about anything that's happened...at all?" Her sentence was broken up and choppy.

"No, nothing." Tatsuki lied. She could sense that Masaki didn't believe her, but she didn't openly deny it. Masaki just looked disappointed. "But... I will tell you this. When he comes back, he doesn't need space. He needs you to show him unconditional love, and even if he doesn't want to be around people... show him that people want to be around him, okay?"

"Thank you." Masaki could feel tears in the corner of her eyes as she gratefully waved Tatsuki off. Although Tatsuki's words once again left Masaki wondering what happened, what had been said...

Tatsuki sighed, shaking her head. What a sticky mess his life had become, weren't his original problems enough? She could see things piling up for him, for them, the household of the Kurosaki's.

xXXxXXxXXx

Ichigo was high up in the sky, to him it was now painted a dark crimson. The air pressure messed with his hearing, he took just a moment to glimpse the magnificence of the world below him. But he knew he really didn't have time, plus the lack of oxygen became quickly obvious, dispelling him into a dizziness he had to ignore. He was so exhausted he just wished he could close his eyes and sleep.

Ichigo pulled himself out of the unconsciousness that was trying to take over his mind. He found the invisible friction beneath his feet and skidded to a stop. Again he was attacked by dizziness when his lungs went to draw oxygen and found absolutely none. It caused his take off to be messy, instead of bolting downward it was more of a clumsy plummet.

Aizen met him half way, the clashing of their swords rang loudly. He slid backwards and Aizen pursued. _Clang_. Ichigo shun-poed behind Aizen, but of course no attempt of Ichigo's to attack even came close to hurting Aizen. He swung Zangetsu but Aizen was already off to the side, his sword leaving a deep cut in Ichigo's leg.

_Darn it! _He'd long lost any control over his lungs, they took in every ounce of air that would fit. Yet that didn't seem in the least a satisfactory amount. He was so incredibly out of breath, tired, and dizzy. Despite all that he kept going, even when he himself didn't understand how he was able to do it. Again he was too slow to block and the sword cut a gash into his side. Somehow he didn't feel much pain from these wounds, the intensity of battle seemed to drown it out.

"Getsuga..." Ichigo prepared to swing, locating his mark. Black energy seeped out and began sizzling on the blade. "Tenshou!" It streeked forward, releasing the getsuga straight at Aizen, who made no move to dodge. The black cresent broken in half, Aizen, having somehow split it, flashed through the two pieces. Ichigo barely had time to raise his sword to block Aizen's. The ex-captain forced Ichigo's blade to the side and kicked him hard in the stomach.

Ichigo lost his balance in the air, he toppled over, falling the rest of the ways to the ground. He was able to land on his feet, although his stance was wobbly. Ichigo wipped the sweat and blood off his face, refocusing his attention upwards. Aizen wasn't there, go figure. Ichigo quickly kicked off into a shun-po in the general forwards direction just as Aizen's blade swung through his orignal position.

"You're not bad." Aizen's voice calliously remarked.

Ichigo felt no need to prompt him, but he understood fully that this was Aizen's 'going easy'. Any moment Aizen could step up his game and he would be a goner.

xXxXxXxXx

Rukia shivered, standing off watching what she could of the brilliant spectical. She was mentally battling whether she should step in, or run off like he so begged her to do. "I'm so stupid, I really...I shouldn't have even brought him here..."

"His stubborness is almost admirable, isn't it?" A cold voice complemented. Rukia frooze up as the hand rested on her shoulder. No, it couldn't be. Her eyes remained locked onto the area she occasionally spotted Ichigo battling. _He's fighting Aizen, but..._

"Yes," Aizen stepped up to her and said with a slight smirk. "I'm right here."

Rukia cautiously but hurriedly scurried back, after her eyes attached themselves to his calm, smirking face they refused to break away._ That's not possible! I saw him too! He was there! I can't stay here_. Rukia shun-poed as far down the street as her abilities allowed.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Aizen stated, not pursuing her. "You're the only reason he's alive. If you run away I'll have to kill him."

Rukia stopped. "You wouldn't dare..."

"I told you how it works, he's under my Bankai so I can kill him any time I want to. So if you run away I'll just drive a thousand spikes through his body. It was fun playing but I need the Hougyoku now." Aizen held his hand out to invite her back over. Her feet didn't budge. "C'mon, if you just stand there he's going to die anyway. How long do you think he can last against me?"

"After you have the Hyougyoku you wont need us for anything, you'll just kill both of us." Rukia shouted in protest.

"Yes, that's true." Aizen agreed. It made him all the more frightening, he was good enough that he didn't need barganing chips because in the end he'd get his way and he knew it.

Rukia didn't move. Sadly, right now her best bet was to let Ichigo fight his imagination. It wouldn't be so bad if his imagination wasn't fighting back. _I have to think... there has to be someway out of this. Letting Ichigo die is not an option. But no matter what... If I fought Aizen would he kill Ichigo?_

"What is he to you?" Aizen asked with another smirk. "He's young. Is he your son? Your lover? Or...is he the one who told you the truth? I don't remember him but he really seems to hate me."

"He's going to collapse." Aizen patiently noted. "He's not a really a shinigami, his body's not use to handling that pain and exhaustion. No matter how badly he wants to he wont be able to move any more. With his last breath, before I slice his throat open, he'll say 'don't hurt Rukia'. Because he cares more about you then the rock, trust me."

_Why the heck is he saying that?! He's just trying to mess with my mind. What point is there for him to even say that... I... know he's right, but running away is not an option! Giving him the stone is not an option! It sounds like he wants me to run. But at the same time it doesn't._

Her savior; in a static flash Ukitake, noticable by his stark white hair that matched the color of his captains haori, appeared. His twin blades were already drawn. Not having any blade to block Ukitake's with Aizen jumped backwards to dodge the instant attack Ukitake brought on.

"Get going!' Ukitake shouted, but Rukia didn't need the invitation, she was already gone.

xXxXXxXXxXXxXx

Understanding that she had to be as fast as she possibly could, how much she needed to be at his side this very instant. Rukia put her everything into one shun-po, it was the longest, more than three times as far as she'd ever gone in one leap. Ichigo had lunged into the air, dodging another one of Aizen's attacks when Rukia intercepted him. She wrapped her arms around his tiny body, hoping to protect him from anything Aizen might pull. She stole him right out of the air, completely surprising him to find himself suddenly in her arms.

They crashed several yards from where he had been battling. The undestroyed wall blocked off the scene and gave them a sense of calm. Rukia tried to catch her breath, worn out from the extensive shun-po. Her arms around him, Ichigo seemed to collapse; he fell back, his chest heaving in its uncontrollable state of exhaustion. His body suddenly felt so weak, with no reason to force it to work it simply didn't. Every muscle burned, every bone creaked or stung. Although she felt sorry for him, all she could think seeing him like that, was what a stubborn idiot he was. If he listened to her, if he wasn't always imposing his will to protect her at all costs, things would've wound up differently.

Yet, overall she felt guilty.

"It's alright. It's over now." Rukia coaxed, she closed her eyes, holding the child to her protectively. "Close your eyes and relax. It's over. Ukitake came. They'll take care of Aizen... and Gin... and Tousen." She thanked her lucky stars they were both still there, still alive.

"I wouldn't quite say that." The warning came with such a cold tone that his voice and the despair in both of their hearts it brought about could've frozen an erupting volcano. Rukia reluctantly looked up. It wasn't just Aizen who somehow was once again raining on her parade, but Gin and Tousen were at his heels. She didn't budge an inch, serving as a protective sheild around her friend, even though she was the one Aizen was after. He grabbed the scruff of her shihakushou and threw her back, away from the boy.

"I'll get the Hougyoku, and we'll go to Las Noches. It seems our plan has been sped up, but it will work." Aizen reached inside his shihakushou and pulled out a small purple cylinder.

Ichigo fell forward when Rukia was removed, he struck out his palms and caught himself. He saw Rukia aways infront of him, imobile under Aizen's spirit pressure, and Aizen, standing right next to him. He had his back turned no less! He began to feel like it was a moment of taking opportunities. If he could get Aizen right now, how wonderful would that be? It would have to be as quick as Rukia had been moments before, swiping him into a different situation entirely. It'd have to be fast. But that was his specialty, wasn't it? He was fast. Besides the Getsuga Tenshou, it was pretty much what his bankai did.

Ichigo found the handle of his zanpaktou, lying on the ground beside him. He gripped it hard. His eyes met Rukia's, and he tried to convey his plan to her.

She understood. Rukia shook her head, but she saw his mental shift, preparing to make his move. He didn't listen to her, of course he didn't. He hadn't listened to her at all today! It was driving her crazy.

'I have to try.' He mouthed as pronounced as he could.

'Don't do it' Rukia mouthed back to him. She understood that attacking Aizen like that would more than likely lead to the loss of his life. Even if Ichigo could manage to kill Aizen in one stroke, Gin and Tousen were right there and they surely wouldn't let him off scott free.

Ichigo didn't listen to her; of course he wasn't going to, not when he had this chance to end it all. His muscles tensed in preparation. _3...2...1..._

Rukia was communicating with Ichigo in attempted stealth, but she realized right then that Aizen had caught her 'don't do it'. Her violet eyes connected with the manevolent man; the corner of his mouth twitched as if flashing her a smile. She knew it had already gone wrong. Too fast even for her to see her little friend was behind Aizen. There was absolutely no way it would work now. "Ichigo! Don't do it!"

The ebony, black blade flashed through the white cloth. The right side of Aizen's chest was wounded! Although he didn't even seem to flinch at the wound. Slowly the tip of the bankai slid back out. With a smirk Aizen stepped to the side as he turned to look. "I guess you could do it after all."

It felt like the moment he was about to commit the act he'd been punched extremely hard in the stomach. It messed him up but determination allowed him to at least hit his mark. The feeling in his stomach didn't go away, in fact it was hurting more and more. He looked down; a large black spike was deeply embedded into his abdomen, so much so that the tip protruded from his lower back. _Ouch..._ He didn't understand why but his mark wasn't infront of him when he shifted back up. Instead his watery eyes met Rukia's.

She didn't see what had done it, and she didn't think she ever understand what did. His expression looked to her like he was in pain, right before the blood surged up his throat and dripped down the corners of his mouth. His world blackened. The only thing keeping him up; the spike, disappeared. With it gone he fell to the ground on his side, he drew up his knees, hoping to stop that horrible throbbing feeling. As he blacked completely out the last thing he heard was Rukia hysterically shouting his name. A silver light rippled off him, materialzing the Kyouka Suigetsu back into Aizen's hands.

_B-bmp B-bmp B-bmp..._

Even her own hysterical voice became silent to her, Rukia could only hear the shuddering of her own breath. Her mind went blank.

_B-Bmp B-Bmp B-Bmp..._

"Ichigo." She gasped, barely audible. It didn't even cross her mind in that moment that she could be harmed next. Or that anyone stood between her and him. The thickness of the air increased, compressing her lungs as she half ran, half crawled towards him. "Ichigo!"

The calvery had arrived. It was Ukitake who first appeared instantly engaging Aizen. She just noticed the blurred forms of Kyoraku and Soi fon as she hurried to his side. The energy became stifling all around her, but her focus remained on the boy. She collapsed at his side, instantly holding her hand against the side of his neck to check his pulse. "You idiot! You stupid, foolish, moron! Why did you do that!? ...Ichigo?"

It's not like she had been thinking he'd talk, but he just seemed to look so lifeless. He had a very low pulse, but it was the coldness of his skin that frigthened her the most. His eyes were closed, no longer displaying his emotons so blatantly, no longer full of joy... not even full of sorrow... This child she had befriended, due to the strangest of circumstances, looked as if he should be so peacefully sleeping, dreaming sweet, suculant dreams. Yet at the same time he was battered, and bruised, with the thin streaks of blood from the corners of his mouth. It was so wrong.

_God, what happened?! What happened?! _Her hands moved down his body, searching for the wound. The blood had begun to pool beneath him when she found the large gaping hole, nearly covering the entire bottom section of his torso. She pushed his bloodied hand away, her hands turning green with healing kidou. _This is FRICKEN BAD! I...I can't do this. At this rate he'll die before I can do anything! _Tears welled up, streaming from her eyes. She was alone, with him. The pressure had gone, unbeknownst to her, only far off could she see the signs of an epic fight.

"Please! Somebody help him!" She shouted as loud as she could. "Please somebody! Anybody! He's going to die!"

No answer...no response...no one. She tried to focus every last bit of her power into the kidou. But with each ticking second she knew his life was draining away, into the large puddle of blood that now encompassed both of them. She raised her head up to the sky, wondering if Kami could hear her if she shouted loud enough. Her throat was sore, and her voice cracked. "Help! Help us! Please! Help him he's going to die!"

But of course nothing happen. She looked down at him. _I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I never should've brought you. I never should've listen to your idea! I knew it wasn't wise. I should've said something. _Her head bowed in utter hopelessness, the leakage of her eyes unable to stop. "I'm so sorry...Ichigo..."

**The End**

_A/N: There is going to be a NOTE at the END of the NEXT CHAPTER. Please be sure to READ it_


	14. Cataclysm Crashed

**Please be sure to read the note at the end when you are finished. If it helps to redeem the lateness at all it's longer then the last chapter, which was a double chapter.**

**Chapter 14; Cataclysm Crashed**

The room felt cold.

"Is he going to live?" Rukia's voice cracked. The medical smell was nausiating. It was darker than she would've liked it to be, there were no windows and the lights were dull. There was the rythmic beeping from the monitor. The little boy; Kurosaki Ichigo, was stretched before her on a very flat bed. A light blanket covered his body from the shoulders down. _This is my fault_. All his skin that was visible was a patchwork of unnatural shades, it was blotched with purples, blues, and browns. Over his mouth and nose there was a thing that looked like an oxygen mask, a cyllindrical tube was horizontally attached to the very snout. It contained a medicine that mystified and entered his lungs with every shallow breath he took. _No matter how you look at it it's all my fault._

"If I was a second later, he wouldn't have made it. But now it's up to him whither he wants to stay in this world. There was some reconstruction and surgery before the overall healing process could being."

"Isn't there anything more you can do?" Rukia walked to the side of his bed, internally agonizing. _There could've been something more I could have done to stop it! I should have stepped in. I should've stopped him! I only saved my own skin though... I tried, right? I tried to stop him. But it wasn't enough. So did I try my best? Could I have done more? God! I don't know anymore! This whole thing is the stupidest idea I've ever had! And now he could die?_

"I'm sorry, but there is nothing more I can do right now." Unohana apologized.

_Nothing? That's ridiculous! Can she not see him? _"C-can't you just heal him? If you don't have enough energy, just get a few more of your people until he's all better so we don't have to wait around hoping he's going to be okay! I'll heal him myself! Just please don't make him... he can't stay in this condition!"

"I must ask you not to touch him. There would not be a need for this facility if we could simply just heal everyone. Unfortunately that's not always the case. Some people require a little more work than that. The boy's body is very small. I can sense that his reiatsu is already in conflict with itself, and what ever Aizen did to him completely coated his body in Aizen's reiatsu. I'm afraid using healing kidou just adds mine to the mix. Too much conflicting reiatsu, especially in such a small container, I'm afraid would be deadly for him."

"That's messed up! We can't heal him because it would kill him?! I don't understand how conflicting reiatsu could kill him! It doesn't make any sense! Please, there has to be something you can do. We can't leave him like this." Rukia begged.

"That's enough." Ukitake had entered the room behind them. His left arm, and the left side of his head was bandaged, his long, white hair pulled back into a ponytail. "If Unohana has a reason for doing something I expect you to respect it. She has been with us for nearly 200 years, I'm sure she knows what she's saying. Please listen to her or I will prohibit you from coming in here."

"I'm sorry, taichou." Rukia swiftly bowed. "Sorry for my misconduct, Unohana-taichou."

Unohana gently grabbed her should, giving her condolences. "It's quite alright. Ukitake, would you mind stepping into the hall with me for a moment? I need to talk to you."

"Sure." Ukitake answered, following her out.

The door shut, but Rukia paid it no mind. She was tranced. Ukitake had placed the bands back on him before Rukia had even gotten to see him. After Unohana had whisked him away it had been over an hour before anyone had allowed her to see him. It was so no one could tell he was here. It was so hard to imagine that had all happened just a little while ago. And that around three hours (give or take a few) they'd been quietly waiting in the Central 46 room.

Rukia sank into one of the two chairs by the door, her eyes not leaving him for a second. Oh, how horribly guilty she felt.

"Are you awake?" She asked. Her question hung in the air, only answered by the rythmic beeping of the machine and the very quiet sound the breathing mask made when it turned the medicine into a vapor.

At the end of it all a lot of people had been hurt. But not her. She made it through without a scratch! Yet it was her idea to begin with._ Why did I do this if I still had the Hougyoku? I was an idiot to risk it. And to risk you. Thinking this was an important experience for you..._

How would this all effect that sweet little boy she had very first met?

"Is he conscious?" Rukia inquired when Unohana came back in. "Did he ever wake up?"

"No, but we should hope he does fairly quickly." Unohana ushered her back over to him. Rukia reluctantly obeyed, she hated seeing him like this. "There seems to be extensive damage to his head. If there is internal bleeding...he could suffer from compression. If he doesn't wake up..."

_Meaning a coma?...Death...? _Rukia wondered, but Unohana never finished. Instead she said. "I'll heal it as soon as it's safe to."

"Rukia." Ukitake called from the door. "You've been through a lot, you should come get some rest."

"No, I want to be here when he wakes up." Rukia replied, Ukitake watched her tensly for a moment before giving in to her wishes. He turned around to leave but something in the back of his mind stopped him. His hand grabbed the edge of the door, stopping him from leaving. Ukitake turned around to glance at the boy one last time. He felt as if there was something he should say.

"It's not your fault." Ukitake stated.

Rukia looked over to him, apprecativley. "Thank you, taichou."

Unohana bustled around the room for a minute before swiftly pushing over a bowl of water and a pile of white rags on a wheeled stand. She didn't make any move to get Rukia to help her as she placidly wettened one of the rags. The captain wrung out the extra liquid. Very compassionately and delicately she used the rag to rub the blood and dirt off of his cheek.

"He's your friend?" Unohana asked, conversationally.

"Yeah, he's a really good friend of mine. I haven't known him too long but I know him well enough to know he didn't deserve this." Rukia answered, hesitantly grabbing one of the white rags. She felt like it should be her there, in Unohana's stead, cleaning the filth away from his cherubic countenance. Surely she was responsible for enough of it that she owed it to him, owed him the compassion and delicateness this captain who didn't even know him was able to give to him. Yet she couldn't bring herself to touch him.

Unohana sighed, making Rukia jump. "Why would Aizen do this to this...child...? Nobody deserves to experience that."

Rukia looked down, a horrible feeling gritting in her stomach. "He was trying to protect me, he got in Aizen's way."

The 4th Division's Captain paused. Her voice saturated with sympathy. "I'm very sorry the two of you had to go through that. He'll be alright. I think as long as you believe in him, he'll pull through this. I'm going to be his direct care, Ukitake asked that I not allow anyone else to come in here. So I promise I will take good care of your friend."

"Thank you, Taichou." Rukia thanked, feeling a bit suffocated from the sudden tenseness.

The taichou began washing the sticky red blood from his tangerine locks. "What's his name?"

"His name is Ichigo." Rukia told her, awkwardly placing the rag back onto the tray.

"That's such a cute name." Unohana smiled. When Unohana finished she stately stood up straight, she didn't seem at all pleased with her work, or perhaps she was just unpleased with his condition; what she couldn't just wash off. She grabbed the hem of the thin blanket that covered him and pulled it back so even more of the extent of the damage was visible. Around his midsection was a strange box. The two sides were an off-whitish color. A stretchy elastic material connected the two sides of the box, firmly curving with his body. On one of the off-white sides was a dial. The box encompassed the area that had been penitrated by some invisible weapon. It was relieving to Rukia that the box covered up the wound. Because she didn't know what she would do if she had to see it again.

"What's all this for?" Rukia asked. Why did it have to be like this? Why must his bare and trashed body be out and displayed like this? Why did the Captain have to show her his medical treatment, although she was gentle this set up was so cruel. His pain and exhaust exposed to her whilst he was no condition to have a say? All these devices, the room cold and dark. The Grand Soul Society couldn't even provide him with a decent blanket or a comfortable bed. Why was she so angry at how he was being treated, yet so jealous that the captain was able to take better care of him then she could?

"It's all optimal to his recovery," Unohana started. "With minimal use of kidou, we've got to resort to other methods. I am sorry I can't give him anything better. It's critical that his spine stay straight or I could use a regular bed. This box I need you to be very deligent about, don't let anyone mess with the dial on the side. It's holding everything together so that it heals properly. The room has to stay cold, or we could risk an infection."

Rukia pushed down the growing urge to cry, she replaced it instead with a steady scowl of disapproval. "Then let's fix him as soon as we can." _No...he's not an object..._

Unohana nodded in agreement. "We'll have him out of here as quickly as we can."

_He's not like some broken object, that I can just glue the parts back together... _Whenever she looked at him her eyes seemed drawn towards his closed eyelids. _Not an object, but a human._

"Ukitake-taichou is sending a replacement to your old post in about an hour," Unohana started. "I'm sending on of my helpers to fetch some special medicine from a shop in that town. It's supposed to be very strong. So we'll use that instead."

_...and to put together a human..._

"From Urahara's Shoten?" Rukia inquired.

"Yes, I believe that's the one."

"Can I send a message along with them, please?"

"I'm sure that will be fine." Unohana-taichou agreed. After Rukia scribbled it down on a piece of paper the Captain took it to her helper/convoy. Rukia fixed his blanket, covering him up with as much care as she could. _...to put together a human, must be the most complex thing in the world. I wouldn't even know where to begin. But if I did. I certainly woould put you back together, Ichigo._

The sun sank down beneath the horizon and the room became even darker. She watched Unohana work her kidou on his head, which had some brutal damage itself. She only used as much as she dared before stopping. But most of the time she spent alone, only with his company, which was a toture itself to see him that way.

Captain Ukitake came in, it was some late hour of the night, maybe a quarter till midnight. He acted a little distressed and even a little lost. "How's he doing?"

"No change, thank you for your concern, Taichou." Rukia watched him curiously. Obviously something was up. "What's going on, Taichou?"

His eyes searched the air infront of him for an answer. Any answer. Some excuse not to tell her. In a heiarchy sense he didn't have to tell her."He killed six of my men." Ukitake at last told her. "Your boy did."

"What do you mean?" Rukia said. "Ichigo? He couldn't possibly have."

"The reiatsu and sword wounds match his reiatsu and zanpaktou."

Rukia's impulse was to continue to deny it because she knew that Ichigo was incapable of commiting quite a feat, anything like murder was completely beyond him. But she couldn't find words to openly deny the evidence or her Captain. She suddenly burst. "He couldn't have known what he was doing! Aizen was messing with his mind, I told you that! They aren't going to convict him or anything are they?!"

"No, no." Ukitake replied. "I didn't tell them and it seems that they haven't noticed. Aizen is taking the blame, I just wanted to know what happened." He was just searching for answers, either a way not to or to find a way of blaming himself.

"I don't know, Taichou." Rukia apologized. She bowed deeply. "And I must request that you do not ask him."

"If it was because of Aizen I'm not going to be mad at him." Ukitake told her.

"I see that, Taichou. But I still humbly request that you don't speak with him about it. He's not much of a warrior and I think he went through enough yesterday. If he doesn't remember that I think it's for the best. The Ichigo I know, wheither it was really his fault or not, wouldn't be able to forgive himself for something like that. So please, Ukitake-taichou, unless he mentions it first."

"Alright... alright, Rukia, you have my word." The Captain agreed but his uneasiness remained. The captain stayed for a while, but stayed silent either pondering or grieving (Rukia couldn't tell). Finally he left her, without anything further than a quick 'goodnight'.

She stayed at his side, not baring to leave or even to sleep least something happen. What if he woke up while she was away or asleep? What if he... well that wasn't a thought she wanted to ponder on. Sometimes Unohana would bring her some food because she wasn't willing to leave him for long enough to get some herself. It was a dreadful time that seemed to be stretching on exponentially with little or no change.

The minutes became hours and hours became days...that first day ended and went by and then a second one passed with it. _36 hours_; Rukia counted, but the waiting and worry didn't stop. The following noon she changed it to 48. Two whole days. Those 48 hours were reaching 60 (she couldn't stop counting).... Everyonce in a while Unohana would attempt to use a little bit of kidou to rejuvinate his body, her 'medicine' had come but the pills weren't something she could give him while he was asleep.

_Beep...Beep..._ Rukia counted to three, the space between the beeping over and over till it became an unconscious rythm occupying her thoughts so that she didn't have to think of anything besides the numbers 1, 2, and 3. _Beep! 1...2...3. Beep! 1...2...3._

She sat on the edge of her seat, hunched over in a way that was out of character for her but a position anyone would take sitting hour after hour on a small stole wondering whither the child infront of them was going to pull through. Wondering if, by the time the next hour rolled around, he would be awake, dead, or in the same condition.

_1...2...3. Beep! 1...2...3. Beep! _She knew it had to be around midnight. Midnight on that 5th day of their exursion, of the day things turned into a horrible mess. _Beep! 1...2...3. Beep! 1...2...3....._

Rukia lifted her head so fast her neck hurt. _Beep!_

_Did I count too fast? 1...2...3......Beep! _She tried to match her old rythm but it didn't work. _Beep! 1...2...3...4. Beep! 1...2...3...4. Beep!_

_His heart beat slowed down? Maybe...Maybe I just messed up. I forgot my beat. _She tried to reassure herself.

Rukia slipped back down into her hunching position, listening to the harsh beating of her heart. She gave up on her counting, finding it was too discouraging to think that he drew one second closer to the side of the coin she didn't want it to land on.

"You know, I never ever wanted this to happen. Back in your world when ever I thought about it I never saw you getting hurt...or even being in danger. When you said that should be us there...I should've said no. I should've seen this coming! I'm the older one, I should've been responsible. I am responsible..._for this! _I think I realized if it wasn't us, it wouldn't work. But it was never meant to work." Rukia spoke to his unconscious form. "What I'm trying to say is that I'm sorry. I'm really sorry you had to go through that. And I'm sorry I let you protect me."

She slowly, with caution and uncertainty reached out to touch him. The first time since she'd sat by his side in that blood puddle, shouting her lungs out. His skin felt just as cold as it had before. Her hand drew back, but she stopped short of the motion and forced herself to grab his arm. At first her fingers were tensed but slowly they relaxed into a comforting hold.

Rukia slid off her stole. She lowered her head beside his so that she could whisper in his ear. "Come on, Ichigo. You can do it. Don't give up. I'm right here, we can get through this. We still have two days! Don't you want me to show you around the Soul Society? All you have to do is open your eyes. Wake up, Ichigo."

She sat back down, keeping her hand on his arm in hopes a connection might help him in some way or another. "Don't keep me waiting."

Yet the time just kept ticking. Ever second seemed to steal away a little bit of hope till she found her self several hours later, at nearly four in the morning, still staring at him with wide, violet eyes. _Isn't this enough already? Perhaps I have to go through this because it was my sin to bring him into this in the first place, but even so isn't this enough? This is torture. Plain and simple torture. Two and a half days of this! I'm not doing anything, yet I'm so exahusted. I'm exahausted of doing nothing, of being able to do nothing but think about not being able to do anything for him! So isn't this enough? Can't we be done? Can't he be okay? I want to see that big stupid grin of his. All his little sweet yet nonsensical comments. Everything. _Quitely, heart heartaching, she curled forward, resting on the edge of his bed. Her heavy eyelids slowly, slowly closed as sleep inwhelmed her.

---------------------------------------

Ichigo's fingers twitched. _Am...I...alive? _His consciousness slowly returning, as if he were waking up from a long dream. At frist there was no feeling, no senses. He didn't hear anything, nor did he feel anything. It wasn't until the stingy sensation rose up from the depths of his mind and he felt it encompass his body that he even could discern the boundaries of his body. He began to hear a faint hum... and feel the restriction of his torso. More and more his senses returned, they heightened. The stinging no longer just stung, it was a sharp pain throughout. The compression around his torso felt more like a bone crushing vice grip. He was sure the giant golem must have him in its enourmous rocky hands, squeezing the last bit of life out of him. He cried out. Wishing someone, somehow could rescue him from the horrible fate.

Rukia was so startled she nearly fell backwards off her chair. His eyes were still shut, but tears leaked from the corners. She gently patted his cheek. "Hey, hey, open your eyes. You're alright."

His eyes blinked open, blinded from even the dim light. His scrawny, bruised hands shakely moved to the box on his midsection. His eyes darted all around, unable to focus on anything. "It hurts, it hurst, it hurts," He cried, his lungs on fire from the abrupt expanding.

"Calm down, calm down." Rukia urged, feeling panicked. "I'll call Unohana!" She scrambled to find the little remote.

_What is that thing?! I need it off!! _He pushed the box but it wouldn't budge. "Get it off me! Get it off! Get it off!!!!"

"Calm down!" Rukia shouted. Hoping if she could override his franticness he might listen. "It can't come off. It's not coming off. Unohana is coming, just try to calm down."

The Unohana burst in, her haori a flutter as she rushed to his bedside with an array of instruments. First Unohana raised a large syringe needle, the inside held a clearish blue liquid that became unviewable as she quickly enveloped the outside with a green healing kidou. She pulled back the covers, unveiling his battered chest and clearly defined rib cage, the skin around which was so white it might as well not have been there. She stabbed the long needle straight through the black mesh strap and deep into his wounded stomach, pushing the top down as she did so. His hands flew to the edges of the bed, the procedure sent an odd but very powerful wave of pain and uncomfort surging through his body.

Rukia watched hopefully as his back arched, any noise expelling from his lips immediately halted. His eyes became wide and blank, his body laxed, and his fingers untensed. He didn't move in the least, save for the rise and fall of his chest. Unohana pulled the needle back out and put in in the trash.

Her throat tightened. "What did you do?" He wasn't moving, he looked just as out of it as he had the past three days. "He finally woke up."

"It's a strong pain killer that's going to make sure his organs heal properly, it's going to put him out of it for a little bit, but he'll be fine. It should also help cleanse some of that unnessecary reiatsu out of his system." Unohana explained while filling a smaller syringe with a red liquid from a jar. The taichou tapped it three times on the edge, before putting the bottle of medicine, or whatever it was, away in her assortment of tools. She grabbed his arm, gently sticking the end into the bend of his arm, depositing the liquid directly into his blood stream through a vein.

"How can you just knock him back out when he finally woke up?" Rukia asked weakly.

"He's not the same kind of out of it as he was before. I haven't had him on any pain killers while he was unconscious. I image he just felt the complete effects of what was done to him. Please, for his sake, try to understand that. By doing this he won't have to suffer." She replied kindly. She set her tools on the counter in the back. "Thank you for calling me. It's very good to see he's woken up."

Unohana came back over, she gently ran her hand along where the box met his skin. She clicked her tounge disapprovingly, quickly reaching for the dial on the opposing side of the contraption she clicked it down a few notches. "His stomach's swolen. I loosened it so it shouldn't hurt him as much. I'll be back in a little while to make sure the medicine's working. If before then something happens, or if he flips out again please buzz me."

The captain turned to Rukia. "You are truelly are a wonderful friend for staying by his side all this time. He's lucky to have someone like you."

"Thank you, Captain." Rukia thanked, only feeling it half heartedly. She watched him, her heart thumping in her ears. She just watched her little friend, until Unohana decided it was best to leave it at that and left.

"You pulled through, didn't you? I'm so proud you made it." Rukia whispered, wondering if he could hear her. "You made it Ichigo, now we're going to take care of you, okay? We'll make things better. We'll make the pain go away. So just hang in there, don't give up yet."

She ran her hand down his orange head, suddenly so matted with sweat.

It took a while even for the tiniest bit of feeling to return and to connect his consciousness back to his mortal shell. Both his mind and his body felt so numb. When he tried to move his fingrs he couldn't tell if they'd answered to his request. "I'm alive?"

"Yes, yes, you lived. You're alive, you're fine." Rukia quickly sputtered emotionally.

"Wow..." He breathed. "I didn't think..."

"Well, it's nice to hear you've already given up on yourself." Rukia scoffed, annoyed.

Ichigo closed his eyes taking a moment to breathe, he could feel the cold mist of the medicine that humidified his air. "What is all of this?"

"It's all to help you get better. You really had quite a spill there, if you can call it that. We weren't even sure if you were going to make it, you've been unconscious for the longest time, and you lost so much blood. I still can't believe you actually did that!" Rukia exclaimed.

"How long have I been out?" He asked, his eyes still closed. His own voice sounded strange and warpy to his own ears.

Rukia turned to the clock, unsure of how long _she _had been out of it. It was almost noon! She'd been asleep nearly eight hours. "As of right now, just about three days."

"Three whole days?" He gasped although his shock barely showed through his numbness and fatigue. He tried to find the strength to push himself upright but what ever Unohana had put in him seemed to have sapped away most of his strength, and he hardly seemed to even be able to move. "I've got to go home! Right now!"

"Don't worry I took care of it. You've got three more days before you have to start worrying about it. Besides, you don't look at all fit to go anywhere right now. God, I wish you could see yourself. What would your parents say if they saw you like this? You look... you don't even look half dead, you look completely dead. You can hardly even move now!"

"She drugged me." He muttered. "Or something. I can't really feel anything."

_You idiot. _Rukia thought with a sigh. "I'm glad you're alright."

"Me too." He whispered.

Rukia sat beside him, watching soundlessly as his eyes again fell shut, and soon his body become so relaxed that she was sure he'd fallen asleep. _Thank God. _She smiled. _Thank God, he woke up._

He rested for about half an hour, the sitting had returned to a sort of monotonous wait (but with less fear) before he gently seemed to slip back out of slumber. He whispered her name in a deeply concerned fashion. She noticed his eyes seemed a bit watery. "I need to know...did I get him?"

The question was a bit vague, but Rukia understood. She could tell he was frightened to hear the answer. "You hurt him..." She gave him, trailing off. She really didn't want to give him the rest, but she knew it was pointless to try to protect him from the truth. "But it didn't kill him."

_I failed. _It was hard to swallow, although not entirely unexpected. His dreams had stirred his thoughts into fearing so. "What happened?"

Rukia took a deep breath as if preparing to tell an long elobrate tale. "Well, I don't know everything. I can tell you what I know that happaned. Shortly after you were down Ukitake and some of the other Captains showed up. They drew the three traitors away... and left the two of us there. You were bleeding so badly I didn't know what to do. I was sure you were going to die. I couldn't stop it, I was on verge of giving up...not that I could've even if I wanted to... then Unohana appeared, without a word she scooped you up off the ground, I looked into her eyes and I knew that if there was a way you could be alright it was with her. Then she was gone."

"Hitsugaya took out Ichimaru, the battle covered the whole 10th Division's section in ice. I didn't see the battle myself, but I wish you could've seen all of the ice! Unfortunately... neither of them made it through the fight."

"They both died?"

"Yeah. There was a big funeral procession that night in his honor, although half the Seireitei was still being rebuilt."

"What about Aizen and Tousen?! And the other captains?!"

"Well, Ukitake got injured trying to help Hitsugaya. All the captains went after Aizen and Tousen, it wasn't long before the whole Soul Society was after them. It all happened so fast. Aizen was fending off Soifon-taichou, Kyoraku-taichou, Kurotsuchi-taichou, and Nii-sama. Kenpachi-taichou and Komamura-taichou both went after Tousen. Most of them were injured but no one else died. As soon as Yamamoto-Soutaichou joined the fight they escaped."

Ichigo frowned. "Aizen escaped?" He sighed heavely.

"Don't worry about it anymore. You need to rest, alright? Just take it easy."

He did try to but it was hard, physically it was simple enough. Exhausted and numb, there wasn't much else he could do. Yet his thoughts wouldn't leave him alone. As of late they always seemed to be blaming him for something. Hitsugaya, he'd never met him in person, yet he was in the notebook, and in a chain of events his death was undoubtedly Ichigo's fault. Or at least that is the conclusion he keep coming to in the back of his mind.

Everything felt like a dream. Nothing felt real. The time that passed simply felt like it shouldn't have, or even hadn't because of the utter impropability of it actually happening. Much like it might feel the first few minutes after you have won the lottery, or finding a loved one dead. When everything feels so unrealistic you wonder if it's not all in you head. From the time Rukia had arrived at his windowsill it had been that way, and even more and more now.

He drifted back asleep, it wasn't a very deep sleep and he felt himself frequently fazzing between the two worlds. Awake or asleep he could always feel the presence that stayed by his side, never leaving. He didn't know how long he had been sleeping when Unohana's voice woke him up.

"What's going on?" He inquired.

"Ah, good, you're awake." The Captain stated. "I was just working on your healing. Everyone wants you out of here as soon as possible, so we've got to keep things moving. I do apologize for waking you."

"It's alright." He muttered.

"The Captain got some special medicine for you from a small shinigami supply shop in the World of the Living. It's supposed to be very potent. If you're awake enough maybe you could try taking some?" Rukia suggested.

He felt strange for a second, all their attention was on him but he was not in a state in which he wanted their attention. His body silently willed _'don't look at me with those eyes'_. "Uh...yeah. Sure."

Unohana left from his range of vision for a moment, probably to another area of the room he couldn't quite see to retrieve the medicine. The Captain returned shaking a black bottle, its label displaying a skull and crossbones.

"Are you sure that's medicine?" Rukia asked, frightened by the label.

"Yes, it's medicine," the Captain replied. "I'm starting you on half a dosage. It would be safest, it's pretty strong." She opened the container and took out a single pill. "Say 'ah'."

Ichigo opened his mouth for her to put the pill in. She helped him raise his head high enough to take a gulp of water. She'd only layed his head back down before he lurched forward. His hand covered his mouth and his body was racked with coughing. Red water spurted from between his fingers. Both Unohana and Rukia jumped to his aid. Unohana raised him back up, gently patting his back as the choking ceased.

"Grab a rag." She commanded.

Rukia obeyed, snatching a rag from the Captain's tray. She helped clean the red liquid from his face and hand. "Are you alright?!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry...." He quickly ranted, looking rather ashamed. It was impossible for him to hide, impossible to do anything that would make him feel not so completely broken and helpless. It was his inability to help himself that made him feel so ashamed.

"Why are you sorry?" Rukia asked as if it was the most ridiculous thing in the entire world. She looked to Unohana. "What happened? Is he alright?"

Captain Unohana frowned. "It seems it's still not enough. I didn't realize he stomach was still too damaged to handle the water. He'll be alright. But if we don't start him on this medicine we'll have to use kidou and just risk it if he has to be out of here in three days. Hmmm... I know, maybe if you crushed them and gave them to him dry."

"Let's try that." Rukia agreed to Unohana's current train of thought merily because it was an alternative.

"About every two hours, would you give him one? I'm very sorry, but I have other patients to attend to, I fear I can't be here every two hours."

"We'll manage, Taichou. Thank you." Somehow, that was how the incident ended. It was growing late and so the Captain left to attend to her other duties while Rukia stayed by his side to deal with him. It was the very least she could do for him. The very least bit she could do to pay for her stupidity and foolishness.

Ichigo shut his eyes. His fingers clenched. He imagined that this was how _He _must've felt. He was thankful to be cared for. Thankful that they would treat him so kindly and so gently. Thankful that they fought so hard for his life. But at the same time it killed him. He found their sympathetic eyes to be... excruciating.

The next two hours certainly went by in a daze. It could've been a half hour, or five hours. The numbness had by then warn off so he could move with just a little bit of sluggishness remaining. The medicine kept the pain away. Rukia didn't say much, she mostly just sat quietly and let him be. But when it came to the two hours mark she got up, as lively as ever. After crushing up his medicine into a powder in a little cup like she'd been instructed she sat on the bottom of his bed.

"How ya feelin'?" She asked.

_What is that? _He tried to sit up. _Not the feeling... _he couldn't get very far. _But the lack of it. _He tried to move them but... it was like he was disconnected. "Wa-wait...I can't feel my legs."

Rukia heaved. "Well, your spine is broken."

_There is absolutely no feeling, beyond this box. How come it took me so long to realize that I'm cut in half? How could I not have noticed it? If it's because my spine is broken, does that mean it's permanent? It can't be... Kami-sama, don't let it be so. _

Rukia noticed how quickly his face fell into a look of utter concern. She quickly interjected. "I wouldn't worry about it too much. Unohana's a great healer, and we've got different methods of healing here, so I'm sure she will fix you up. I've never once seen a soul who was paralyzed partially or otherwise, so take some deep breathes, it'll be better soon. Now say 'ah'."

He obeyed, no remorse, no arguement. He was certain she was right. That notebook, the story said that _He_ had been extremely hurt dozens of times and he was never left with any impairment. The powder tasted funny, but that was to be expected of medicine. The taste was more potent then it had been in a capsul accompanied by water. But his body didn't reject when he swallowed it. "Thank you." _She's right_. He thought. Knowing she was right allowed him to lul back asleep.

But the second time he was woken up at some extremely early morning hour he felt a bit lethargic. When Rukia noticed she ran to get Unohana who explained simply that he was running a fever. So Rukia ended up not sleeping at all that night, keeping his temperature in check with wet rags and giving him his medicine. She basically ended up nursing him all night.

It progressively died throughout the day. Rukia was sure she'd end up falling asleep on him again. "I'm tired." She mumbled. But no sooner had she said it, the 4th Division Captain came in.

"I am moving you to a different room." Unohana announced that afternoon as she pushed in a more comfortable looking bed. "I'm sure you'll find it more to your liking, so please bare with me for a moment as we orchestrate this move."

"Of course..." Ichigo replied, not sure how else to respond.

"How many of those pills has he had?"

"Nine, I believe, I haven't quite kept count." Rukia answered.

"Nine? Thats very good, I had better check... would you please push that over here?" The Captain kindly pointed to her little push-around table the she liked to set her healing supplies on.

She lightly pushed on his stomach where it met the box. "Good, it feels alright. We can finally take the mechanism off then, before we move you."

"That's great!" Ichigo cheered, although it was only there to help him he'd come to hate it with a burning passion.

He could hear Unohana take a deep breath as she unlatched the machine. She carefully slid it off his body.

"Does it feel alright?" She asked, setting the contraption on the tray and grabbing a roll of bandages. The Captain didn't show her worry much but the possibility she'd miscalculated, that she went wrong somewhere and that now he might as well just fall apart didn't leave the back of her mind.

"It's fine, I can't really feel anything." He answered, sorta mystified by the overall lack of feeling in his body. Whenever feeling began to return it was always pain. _Why must it be that way? _He wondered as Unohana wrapped his torso up. _Why is it always pain? Is it my karma? Do I create it for myself? Only this extendedly... the idea of pain in my head is growing stagnant. If it is eminant. If it is inescapable, then why try to run from it anymore? I don't want pain and confusion to dominate my life. So if I let it grow stagnant, if I could forget or ignore the things in life that cause me pain then I wonder if I could stop causing other people pain.... I wonder if I could be truelly happy..._

"We're going to move you, Alright? Rukia, grab his feet please. Ready?" She grabbed under his shoulders. "One...Two...Three!" He wasn't very heavy at all and with ease they lifted him over to the other bed. Unohana wheeled him out into the hall and into a new room on the other side of the building, no one they passed seemed to pay him much mind. The new room had a brighter feel to it, perhaps it was because the temperature was warmer or that the curtains were pulled wide open. It was also bigger and at the far end of the room was a line of counters and cupboards and even a door to a little bathroom. He greatly enjoyed the sunlight, its heat on his skin was nice. And when the sun went down he could soon see a few stars on the horizon of the sky. "The stars..."

"They're beautiful, aren't they?" Rukia asked, she already knew what he was going to say. She too was enjoying this room. It no longer looked like she should expect him to die any minute. The Captain didn't have him hooked up to anything, and with that weird box gone the situation was becoming more relieving. The Captain came back frequently to have him take one of those pills and drink a glass of water. It did seem to be doing him good, and they always took away the pain.

It made him happy that she was there, that she really, trully cared about him. It meant a lot to him.

"That was lucky that you got away safely." He said to her aloud that night, while he was pondering what had happened (the memories of it just didn't seem to want to leave him alone). "I'm glad that the Captains showed up."

"What you did. That was a real stupid move, you know?" Rukia lightly commented, almost a very soft scolding.

"I would do it again." He muttered back. "And again and agian."

A flame seemed to ignite inside of her, his words drew up that horrid scene she'd endured... kneeling in his blood, not able to do anything for him with his limp body in her arms. To think of it happening again and again, she couldn't stand the thought. Rukia immediately stood up. "What are you saying?! Why in the world would you want to experience that again? That was such a reckless thing you did! And you almost got yourself killed! Here I am thanking my lucky stars you're alive and you would go it again!? Why?!"

"Rukia... I wasn't saying I want it to happen again. If I didn't do what I did... Aizen would've killed you. So if I were in the same situation I would've done the same thing, even if the outcome was the same... and even if it was different."

"Even if you died?" Rukia said.

His bright amber eyes seemed to alite. "Of course."

_Of course. _Rukia repeated in her head. _Because without hesitation he would do anything, no matter how rash or stupid, if it meant he might possibly save someones life. Especially if it were mine, because he believes with every fiber of his being that we share a special bond. Erased by time or not... _"I've gotta step outside."

"Alright." He replied watching her leave seemed to tug on his hearstrings.He waited up into the late hours of the night, watching the clock, staring blankly at the door, but she didn't come back. Finely he drifted off into a fevorish sleep.

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Unohana walked into the room, she went right over to the curtains that helped keep the room dark. "Good Morning, Ichigo." She greeted as she pulled them open. It was actually almost noon.

He watched mellowly through tired eyes. She came to the side of his bed, smiling kindly. "How are you feeling?"

"Alright, I guess." Ichigo shrugged. He didn't have the heart to complain, but he sure didn't feel alright.

"Well, let's see what we can do to make things better." Unohana gave him his pill and a glass of water. He downed it completely and asked for a second glass. Unohana gave it to him and left to get him some lunch.

Ichigo stared into the crystallic liquid. His pain reflected back, for a moment it even looked red. That clear liquid viewed through a translucent glass simply reflected his red palms. He pushed up as far as he could wrench himself up on his elbow. He felt lonely. _Where is she? Is she mad at me?_

Ichigo sighed heavely, closing his eyes as he poured the cold water down his throat. He liked this world, how it felt so energizing. Even the reishi in this water seemed to give him a little energy back. But he didn't want to stay here, and he didn't want to be alone. She'd been with him every waking moment. Now without her he felt so lost. So alone in ths world, and so frightened he could cry.

Captain Unohana returned with a bowl of sweet potato curry and a hunk of wheat bread. Her actions were all very gentle, always respectful and never scrutinicing of his situation or its secrecy. She set the food on the counter and got out two pillows from the cabinet below. "You shouldn't force yourself like that."

She arranged the pillows comfortably behind him so they would prop him up with out any straint on his part.

"Have you seen Rukia at all?" He asked hopefully.

"She hasn't come in?" The 4th Division taichou asked in her careful, kind way.

"No, I haven't seen her since she left last night." He muttered with a frown. But when Unohana brought over his food he laughed rather sheepishly. "I'm sure she just got caught up with something."

"Yes. Don't worry too much, alright? I'm sure she'll come visit when she gets the chance. Now, let me see your arm, please."

Ichigo set his burnt arm across the table, palm up. The skin was in better condition then it had been two days ago, there was no burnt black skin and the rawness was at a minimum. It still hurt when strong pressure was applied. His arm was like the surface of a flowing river, unnaturally full of texture. When he wasn't on his medicine it began to feel like the fire started back up.

With his other hand he grabbed the bread and nibbled off a bit.

"Let's see if we can't make it all better." Unohana gently picked up his burnt arm and began to work her green, glowing magic. He slowly ate his bread as she worked on his arm. He fell back into his thoughts.

It took him a long time to finish his bread, long enough that the curry had become cold. He wasn't really hungry but it was a shame when he finally tasted it because it tasted a lot yummier then he had thought it would.

"There you go." Unohana set his arm down.

Miraculously it looked good as new. His skin was it's natural color, it even looked healthier than his other hand which was flushed red and bruised. He turned it over in awe. "Thank you!"

"Are you full?"

"Yes ma'am." Ichigo tried out his newly healed arm by handing her the bowl. "I'm sorry, that was all I could stomach."

"It's quite alright, I'm glad you're able to eat something at all, but I imagine eating a bigger amount might hurt while everything around your stomach is still healing." She removed the dishes and lap table. She even removed the two extra pillows so he could lay down. "Now I think you should rest. I don't want to see you forcing yourself up, you must respect your body while it's healing. Get some sleep."

"I'll try." He promised.

"I'll come back later." Unohana told him. She paused half-way out the door. "I'm sure Rukia will come as soon as she can."

"Me too." He agreed. Although he really didn't think so. He was again alone.

The room held a weird smell that he couldn't quite place. He tried to not be lured into sniffing it because breathing too deeply made his lungs sting. Mind you, not as bad as before, but anything that would make his time more miserable right now wasn't something that should be pursued.

Ichigo closed his eyes but he couldn't sleep, as tired as he felt. There was no clock in the room, and the time of day seemed to have no effect in there. He felt suspended in time. He obsessed over why Rukia hadn't come yet, they had little back and forth arguments before but if she ever got mad she usually just thumped him on the head. He had never made her mad enough to upset her to the point she'd ditch him like this. He had to talk to her, to repair whatever he'd done wrong... but how could he? He hadn't been able to even _feel_ anything from his waist down, let alone move it.

Rukia had assured him that they'd be able to heal it, that he shouldn't worry about going home paralyzed from the waist down.

Time ticked away. It became 3 o'clock and she still hadn't come by. Ichigo gave up trying to sleep, trying to stop worrying, and waiting. He pushed his torso up. He heaved, his body not happy with what he was mentally setting up to do.

Ichigo closed his eyes. This medicine he was on both killed the pain and sped up his healing, so he closed his eyes and he prayed. When he opened them he tried as hard as he could, he tried to wiggle his foot.

He doubted for a moment that he was remembering correctly how to do it.

Ichigo nearly toppled over in surprise when it actually moved. _Yes! I can do this!! _He pulled off the covers. His eyes scanned his body sorrowfully. It looked so mistreated. A pair of off white shorts covered his nether regions above that his torso was bound tightly, bandaged. A large area of which was red and sticky. A lot of his skin looked miscolored, particularly in comparison to the arm Unohana had just worked on.

With a great effort he managed to wiggle his big toe. Ichigo carefully turned until his legs hung over the edge. _1...2...3! _On three he lowered himself off the bed, starting off as gently as he could on his legs. At first they weakly gave out but he caught himself from falling by clinging to the bed. He still could not feel the cold ground beneath his toes. It took him a minute to get his legs to stay straight enough to get him over to the counter area at the back of his room. He followed the wall, nearly falling a few times. Reaching to counter, where his folded shihakushou lay, was a great relief. Holding himself up almost entirely with his arms, in turn, he slipped on the large white top so he didn't feel so exposed when he left.

Ichigo rested his legs for a moment. Probably being used prematurely as the response was still minimal. When he tried to move them the movement was choppy and every once in a while they just wouldn't move at all. Holding onto the wall as much as he could he made his was back to the door. He slid it open and peeked out, the hall was empty. _Perfect. If this is the first floor...there should be a back door. In case of emergency escape or something at least. _He looked back and forth, trying to decide which was front and which was back. Choosing the direction that appeared the most correct Ichigo scooted forward each foot, sinking in and out of acutally steps and merily forcing each foot to scoot forward on the low-friction floor.

He did indeed find a back door and made it through with out being noticed by anyone. _Yes! I did it!!! _He mentally congratulated himself as the bright blue sky blinded him. _I made it outside. _The door flapped shut behind him as he stumbled out into the world. _Where is she? _He looked around, unable to find any hints. He couldn't feel her reiatsu. _I can still do this. I know I can. If I concentrate I can find her. _He quickly clambered to the closest wall for support. _The Seireitei is divided by sections for each squad...so I must be in the fourth section. So Rukia should be in the thirteenth section, or at least Ukitake should and he'd know where she is. But which way is the thirteenth section? ...I guess since the Seireitei's a circle either way I go I'll eventually come to it. Alright then, I'll go left...or right? I'll go right, because right should be the right way to go, right? _Ichigo headed off to the right, his numb feet not even noticing how scorching the ground was.

The going was pretty easy for a little while. But the hot sun compared to the temperature-controled cold room he'd spent his last few days in it was harsh. He'd already used up so much of his energy he began to feel heavy and tired, but he kept going, determind to make up with RUkia or apologize for upsetting her.

He made it an hour (mind you, the pace was slow) in the general direction of right before his hands began to shake against the wall, trying hard to keep him up. His legs had had enough. They were starting to recover and he insisted on working them but now they didn't have enough energy for him to squeeze out, to keep going on. His body shuddered tiredly, his physical exahustion capturing his will to keep going.

Far away from the main 4th Division hospital, or anywhere he recognized, lost in the maze of paths, he was a car run out of gasoline. Ichigo pushed away from the wall, stumbling into the emptiness he carried on for a few more steps before he collapsed forward onto the ground. The hot tiles lightly burned the palms of his hands. _Not yet. I'm not ready to give up. _He crawled forward, not willing to give up. He never was one to give into defeat.

"Rukia?" He asked as loud as he could, but his voice was weak. He could feel the darkness overwhelming him. "Rukia. I'm sorry. Please help me."

_I feel so pathetic. Look at me. I couldn't even make it to her._

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"Is that all?" Rukia heaved, half-heartedly glancing at the clock. Ukitake sifted through a pile of papers, regarding each carefully.

"Yeah... that looks like everything." Ukitake tapped the papers on the table so they fell into an orderly stack. He set them down carefully.

"Thank god." Rukia felt relieved. "He's gotta be wondering where I am. I'll be going then, Taichou!"

"Thank you for your help!" He shouted after her.

Rukia was navigating her way out of this official portion of the barracks she'd only been in a handful of times. She was only allowed here when the captain summoned her, which was for important things. Or when Ichigo and her snuck in here, which was also for something rather important. Out of the entwinement of important rooms, and into the main hallway of the barracks Rukia spotted a black butterfly fluttering towards her. Rukia reached out and it landed on the tip of her index finger; a Jougyoku-Chou.

_Relaying message to Kuchiki Rukia of Division 13. From Unohana Retsu, Captain of Division 4. Rukia; hurry back as soon as you can. Ichigo is missing and I can't find him anywhere. _The message ended, the butterfly flapped it's big black wings and flew back the way it came, leaving Rukia in momentary shock.

_Missing? ...How can he be missing? It's not like he could just get up and walk away! _ Rukia broke into a run. _Why would he leave, if he could?! But he can't! So how can he be missing!? There's no way Aizen would've- he wouldn't have snuck back to do something to him, would he have? Ichigo's not that big of a problem that Aizen would go that far.... Right?!_

Rukia arrived at the central area of the 4th Division, their main care-center-hospital-place not 15 minutes after the Captain had sent out the Hell's Butterfly. Needless to say she hurried back as fast as she could. When she basically burst into his room she was panting heavely. Her eyes instantly scanned the room, finding one thing blatantly obvious; he wasn't there. His orange head would've stuck out like a sore thumb not matter how fast she scanned it. Unohana was there however.

"Thank you for hurrying, I wasn't sure what I should do. I looked up and down the building for him, and all around it too. He can't be very far away. I didn't want to send anyone out looking for him though because Ukitake keeps it all so hush hush." The Captain told her, in what sounded like an apologetic tone.

"It's alright, taichou." Rukia reassured despite the fact she was certain she could feel her body beginning to tremor. "I'll go find him."

She didn't feel at all like exploring possibilities. Obviously if he wasn't here he had to be somewhere. Right now somewhere was good enough for her. Being somewhere meant he could be anywhere else but here; not entirely discluding anywhere outside this room. Which she decided was a darn good place to start, as long as it was included. She also prefered to think of him being somewhere, or anywhere but here, because that meant she didn't have to jump to conclusions like Las Noches...or someplace terrible like that. Also, since he couldn't really go anywhere, as he was temporarily disabled, it would be so much more relieving to find him very close. Because it would inturn be very upsetting finding him far away, as the only way he could be far away is if there was another person invovled, which was disturbing to consider.

Rukia left with a rather blank mind, her cognative gears not turning their proper circles. She searched that building up and down and left and right several times with no luck. _How come I'm always looking for you? _She sighed, walking out the front door. _How many times is this now? Only the third... but you seriously need to stop getting ahead of yourself. _She looked all around for him, after about an hour her anger had boiled up.

"Ichigo! You pig-headed, stupid-faced, idiot, where are you!?" She shouted at one point, hopelessly hunting through the Seireitei's labryinth. She couldn't feel his reiatsu at all, that had to be the most frustrating part of all. She couldn't tell if he was really even there at all.

It wasn't long after that Rukia saw his small figure, laying on the ground ahead. She wasted no time hurrying to his side to see if he was alright.

Ichigo was nearly turned onto his side, his left arm stretched above his head. His right hand between his chest and the ground. His eyes were closed. Her heart skipped a beat looking at him like that. There never had been a garuntee he would make it even this far along. Who knew what damage over exertion could've caused? Especially getting this far when he supposedly couldn't even walk. "I...Ichigo?"

She kneeled down beside him. "Ichigo?"

He wasn't answering her. Rukia felt her eyes began to tear up. _He can't...._

"Wake up, Ichi! This isn't the time to sleep. Ichigo! Please look at me!" Rukia shouted, trying to force anger into her voice. _Why would he do this?! He was doing just fine, why would put all that effort into leaving like this?!_

"....Ru....kia...?" He responded febbily. His eyes craked open just enough that she could see the lustrous, dark gold irises peeking up at her. "...Please don't be....mad at...me..."

"Mad?! Why the heck would you even do this if you thought I'd get mad?!" Rukia exclaimed. _Thank god he's alive. _She felt such a great relief but her anxiety was still up. "What were you trying to accomplish?"

"I....wanted to say....that I'm sorry." He replied. "I'm sorry...I said that...please....don't be mad anymore. I couldn't....even make it. I fell down...and I couldn't.....I couldn't....stand back up."

_He wanted to apologize? _Rukia was stumped. "I never was mad at you. Nothing you said upset me."

"Why...didn't you come?" She saw his hand push against the ground, trying to exert enough force to lift himself up. His hand began to shake when as hard as he tried he couldn't do it.

"I was helping Ukitake with paperwork." She explained. _He's too connected. _She realized then what was happening between them, and what the eminant end of it all was. What everything was going to come down to. Maybe because she felt guilty, she saw the opposing sides reasoning and fully agreed with it all. But now, she saw it all. Now she not only agreed with it she saw exactly how horrible her side was after all.

"Come on," Rukia gently lifted him up onto her back. "We've got to get you back. You really scared Unohana-taichou, you know? How'd you get all the way out here?"

"I don't want to go back right now, please Rukia." He requested with a rather flat pleading tone. Rather limply he allowed his head to rest between her shoulder blades.

"Where else are we supposed to go?" Rukia queeried.

"Can you take me... up to Soukyoku Hill...?"

"Soukyoku Oka?! Why all the way up there?" Rukia gaped. He was silent in response, lost for words to explain his need to see that place. Rukia sighed, giving in to his unspoken arguement. "Fine, I'll take you there if you'll tell me how you got out here."

"I walked." He replied wryly.

"Wow, that's...that's great. Your legs are working!" Rukia exclaimed, suspiciously relieved for someone who told him it was nothing to worry about. "Alright, we better tell Unohana so she doesn't worry."

They never made it to the Captain, who surely would have discouraged their little trip. Instead Rukia asked one of the bustling 4th Squad members to go tell the Captain. "I found him, we'll be back later."

And so they began the long trip towards Soukyoku Oka that lay at the very center of the Seireitei. Rukia didn't Shun-po at all, not with him on her back. She didn't bring it up but she was afraid it would take his breath away, or even jog a memory of what had happened. She stopped to talk to no one and no one stopped to talk to her as she steadly headed for the core.

"I'm sorry...if I scared you." He muttered, close enough to her ears that she could hear his quiet voice.

"Nah, you didn't scare me. You _terrified _me." Rukia stated exuberantly. "What would I have done if something happened to you, huh? You supposedly couldn't walk. You getting anywhere by yourself seemed impossible! I thought... I thought...ahhh, it doesn't matter what I thought. But next time don't do something so irrational, that was stupid of you. You can't be exerting yourself like this if you really plan on going home tomorrow. You'll never heal enough like this. We'll have to ask for more time or something."

"...no...I couldn't make them wait longer. I'm going home tomorrow... and I will be fine...if I'm not....you can just use your kidou..."

"I'm not using my kidou on you. So you'll have to ask Unohana-taichou. Don't you understand if you do things like this you're going to open up your wounds, and prolong the healing process? This is not a game. This is your life! You can't just rely on this plan going through when you're working against it. It's not going to magically work out just because you're planning it to! You've got to work with it. If you want to go home tomorrow you wont do something this stupid again! Do you know that we can't feel your reiatsu? It's completely hidden, it might as well not exsist! How was I supposed to tell where you were? How am I supposed to tell if you're dead or alive?" Rukia rantedly cried.

"....." Ichigo tried to find a response but nothing came.

"Don't you see? Even now...I can hardly feel you breathe. When you're quiet and you don't move I become afraid. I'm afraid you're going to die." Rukia admitted, her hands shaking a little.

"...I'm...not going to die...how could I...?" He squeaked. "I made it this far...It'd be a shame to die now..."

"It's not entirely impossible." Rukia sighed. "Especially with you acting out on your stupidity. You're talking so quietly, do you have to talk like that? You sound weak."

"I'm tired..." He muttered.

Rukia stopped. "Alright, that's it! I can't do this! I'm taking you back to Unohana-taichou. I don't feel safe doing this, you need to rest and heal. This has bad written all over it! Something is going to happen, I just know it, and I couldn't take it if you died because of me."

"I told you I'm not gonna die." He argued, trying to force his voice higher and more steady as if it would prove to her he was alright. "I really really want to go there, please Rukia. I have to. We're half way there, let's just go."

"Why though? Why is it so important to you?"

"I don't really know... a lot happened there, I feel like maybe it would click something in my head, even if the place felt the slightest bit familiar it would be worth it to me. If not that then to see it. To see where it happened, would be irreplacebly-" Ichigo broke into a coughing fit that make his lungs ache. He tried to fight it back, his body didn't seem to be on his side with this one, and neither did luck. He could taste the essence of copper in his mouth, but the coughing stopped.

Unexpectedly for Rukia he suddenly got extremely frustrated with himself. "I'm fine!! I'm fine!!" He shouted angrly. "I feel good enough to do this! I am definitely not going to die on you or anything! Please let's go."

"Alright, alright, we'll go." Rukia gave in.

The rest of the way was pretty much silence, Rukia took the back way, painstakingly climbing the long staircase the rose up the back of Soukyoku hill.

"Whoa!" Ichigo lifted his head as Rukia stepped up onto the very top of the hill. A canvas of dead trees struck up from the dusty mesa top, too thick to see through but too thin to really be called a forest. "Would you please set me down Rukia?"

"Only if you're insane." Rukia replied, breathing heavely from the climb up. "Have I not been scolding you the whole way here about exerting yourself like that? I'm not going to let you walk anywhere until you're finished healing...or you can walk without collapsing."

"I walked really far before I collapsed." Ichigo argued quietly.

"Yes, you did get really far. But when someone has a hole right through their stomach and their spine is broken right there, so they actually lose mobility of their legs, and they walk far before collapsing we call that extremely over exerting oneself to an impossible extent." Rukia harshly reminded him. "C'mon let's see the Soukyoku so we can get out of here."

Ichigo relaxed his head into her back, his eyes intently watching the trees and the over all scene that passed by. His heart seemed to be stuck in his throat. _Here I am. With Rukia. _The musty smell was so unsually delicous to him, it put all his senses on alert. _I can't believe I'm here._

The trees broke way to the bright blue sky as Rukia exited the other end of the small wood. The sun felt hotter up there without any protection from the buildings, up there it was as if they were displayed directly before the sun. The two of them turned to the large Soukyouku, standing tall and stronger, undestroyed in a sort of sinister splendor. Once again he thought; _I can't believe I'm here._

"Spark anything?" Rukia asked.

"No... but it certainly is amazing. To think, it happened here. So much. So much of it happened here. I never thought I would actually ever get a chance to see this place."

Rukia didn't feel as bad about bringing him up there, seeing his eyes glazed with amazement. She realized rather quickly that her legs weren't willing to go much further after that steep climb. Without warning she sunk to the ground before the great Soukyoku (frankly, hoping that the grand spectical might entertain him for a decent while). When she sat down she allowed him to slid off and sit beside her, but he was absolutely not to stand. He was silent for while, intrigued by everything around him. Even in the distance all surrounding them below they could see the insane extent of damage that the Seireitei was busy fixing.

Then he quietly began. "Hey, you know, Rukia..."

"What is it?"

"I-I want to meet Zangetsu." Ichigo said, clutching the front of his white robe. His words were nervous and slow but his eyes held confidence in himself. "I want to meet Renji, and your brother. Hanatarou and Ganju... I even want to see how scary Kenpachi really is. I want to join the Gotei 13. I-I want to rediscover why you meant so much to me."

Rukia smiled with a subtly sweet sadness at his words. "You've gotta listen to me though, kiddo. I need you to promise me something."

"A promise?" He reiterated. "What kind of promise?"

"I'm glad you want to get back in touch with that part of your life and all but I want you to promise me that you would never to something stupid that'd get you sent here. Alright?" Rukia said.

It wasn't at all a hard promise to make. Ichigo nodded. "I promise."

Rukia reached her hand up and rubbed his rustic head. That moment inwardly shocked her, after the act was commited she realized it was an involuntary act of affection. She had failed to notice her own growing fondness for him. Rukia withdrew her hand, tons of questions surfacing in the back of her mind such as when had it started, and why had it taken so long for her to realize it was there? Not that she hadn't cared, she had cared for a quiet a while... but she was suprised because she hadn't come to terms with exactly how much she cared. It was because she wanted to do more, she wanted to scoop him up into her arms and hold him tight for an eternity. And Kuchiki Rukia had never felt like that about anybody. Rukia stood up. "We'd better get you back."

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Unohana didn't throw a fit about their leaving, she surprisingly didn't seem upset at all, she was too busy being happy that he was walking. It was a large milestone in his recovery, and hearing he'd accomplished that she seemed to forget about everything else. She gave him one of the pills and a glass of water before waltzing off cheerfully to check up on some other patients.

His stomach had begun to ache again on their way back, not that he mentioned it to her. Right about now it had started stinging rather badly but he still felt the need to hesitate taking his pill. Staring into the deep watery abyss of his cup he got lost in his thoughts. A few more of these, exactly how many he wasn't sure, but eventually he would be all better thanks to these powerful little things. Shutting his eyes he popped it into his mouth and chugged the whole glass of water.

"Hand me that roll of bandages, please." He asked Rukia. She handed it to him from off the far counter. He was still very strongly advised to take it easy by the Captain who also told him to stay off his feet for now. So he was sitting up on the bed (though, frankly, he would love to run around). Ichigo slipped off the white top of his shihakushou so he was only in those light flannel shorts. Although bandages still covered a large portion of his top she could tell by the exposed skin that he was doing much better. Ichigo began unraveling the ones around his waist.

"What, are you changing them yourself?" Rukia asked, surprisedly.

Ichigo laughed a little sheepishly. "Unohana usually does that closer to seven... I didn't want to bother her with it right now, but it's gotten a bit grimmy."

He tossed the dirtied bandages aside, the air felt extremely cold on his exposed skin; it always was. His attitude grew slightly somber, he turned his head to the side. "How do I look?" Unwillingly to check himself.

Rukia's hand ran down his spinal collum. "At least I can't see through you anymore. It does seem all better back there." She commented lightly. She moved her focuses to his front. It was definetely better than it had been when it happened yet still it wasn't a pretty site. She could tell that Unohana hadn't dared to stitch him shut because the circumference of the wound was too wide, it made her wonder what Unohana had done to stop the blood. "Does it hurt?"

"Not right now, it doesn't. It will look much better in another hour or so. Those pills work wonders!" He smiled. "Hey, hey; did'ja see my arm?! Look, Unohana made it all better!"

"Wow, she did a great job!" Rukia agreed, admiring the 4th Division Taichou's work.

"Rukia..." Ichigo began. "Unohana said that she couldn't heal me all the way at once because there was already too much reiatsu in my body. She said that my reiatsu was too unstable. Is that true?"

"Well, do you think Unohana-taichou would lie to you?" She asked.

"No...I guess not. Do I...do I feel like him? Like Aizen. It's just not something I can feel."

"Yes, sort of. I can feel his reiatsu on you. Especially right here." She pointed to where he'd been run through. "It's going away but it used to be so thick around your body I don't think healing you with kidou would've even been possible."

Ichigo seemed at a lost for words. He shook his head slightly, his mouth agape, but he didn't find any response. He wrapped the roll of bandages around his body. His lips cracked into a smile. "Thanks for being so kind to me, Rukia. I'm glad that you'd be my friend. I know the circumstances are a bit strange." _This feeling... when I'm with her..._

"Sure thing, now I think you need to get some rest, we've had an exhasperating day when _someone _should be healing so he can go home tomorrow."

"I'd rather not-"

"Nope! I wont hear of it. You've done enough. Lay down and rest, relax. I'm sure your body has had enough."

His eyes still pleaded her to allow him to stay up. It wasn't like he wasn't tired. Because he really was. But he didn't want to enter the hazzy between worlds sleep, not when they were talking like this. When they could talk like this he felt a bond between them, something that might even be tangible.

"No arguing." She demanded, as she went around the room shutting the curtains. "I'll be out in the hall if you need me."

"Why out there?" He inadvertantly complained. If the room was lighter she could've seen the bright pink color he'd turned after the words were out of his mouth. He hadn't meant to show her such attachement and dismay. It was childish and ridiculous....

"If I stay in here you wont stop talking. Just lay down, you look very tired. You'll be asleep in seconds."

And it turned out she was right, after she left he fell asleep almost instantly, consumed by his exhaustion.

_---------_

"You go home today." Rukia mentioned when he first woke up the next morning. The sun was already shining brightly through the windows. Uninvited Rukia scooched onto the edge of his bed, she found that she was quite literally missing him already. "You think you're ready?"

He mumbled something incoherently, his words befuddled by sleepiness.

"You've gotta get up, if you want Unohana to let you go then you need to be good enough for the trip home." She pushed on the lump of covers that was his body.

"She can't make me stay." His eyes opened reluctantly.

"I can." Rukia reminded. She slid off the bed. "And if you can't show me you're going to be alright then you aren't going."

With a mournful sigh he heaved himself up. "You should really let sick people rest, the healing is supposed to be faster that way."

"You ought to try to be more lively today. What would your parents say if I took you back in a worse condtition then from when I took you, huh?"

"Alright, alright..." Ichigo tried to rub the sleep from his eyes. "Let the lively healing begin." They started off the morning with walking in circles around the room. Rukia made sure he got one of his pills every other hour, and she monitored his healing throughout that day. She made sure he ate and drank enough, that everything was working alright. Unohana even backed off his care because Rukia was so on top of it. It was after lunch that Ukitake came in and said he was going to have the gate opened if they were ready. She fetched Unohana, anxiously, to check how he was doing.

"I wouldn't suggest he leaves just yet." The Captain said. "I would hang onto him another day or two." The 'would' of course implied that she knew he wasn't willing to stay another two days.

"As long as my father wouldn't notice anything was wrong," Ichigo told her. "Then I want to go home."

"Does going back today mean that much?" The Captain quiried.

"Yeah, it does."

"Alright then. Give me three hours, and then you can go home." Unohana slipped long gloves over her arms that began to glow green. She ushered Ukitake and Rukia out of the room.

Ichigo layed down without being asked. "Is kidou still risky?"

"Not too risky at this point. It won't take too much to finish the job, that medicine certainly works wonders."

By the time she was done Ukitake had the gate ready. When Rukia came in to tell him he was putting on his Shihakushou. "Hey, how're you feeling?"

"Great!" He laughed, pretending to flex his arm. "I do feel much better, thanks to Unohana and the power of kidou! Although, it makes me curious, how does kidou work? Like what do you do to activate it? Is it a spell or something?"

"Oh, I'm sure you'll figure it out one day." Rukia smiled slyly. "Are you ready to go?"

"Hold on just a second." He muttered, tying his obi belt. "...Alright, all ready."

She looked him up and down. "You look great." He really did look cute in his Shihakushou, he had an almost psuedo-seriousness to his gestures and expressions but it was completely contrary to his current young status.

"Wait!" He shouted, looking around frantically. "Where's Zangetsu?"

"It's alright, Ukitake's got your zanpaktou. C'mon, he's going to meet us at the gate." Rukia grabbed his hand. "Don't worry, he took good care of Zangetsu." The walk there had to be one of the most enjoyable things he'd experienced in a while, they didn'f talk much but everytime he thought about where he was... and who he was with, a big grin spread across his face.

When they got to the gate Unohana and Ukitake were both there waiting. Sure enough Ukitake held the wrapped Zangetsu, in a somewhat awkward manner. "There you are!"

"Are we late, Taichou?" Rukia asked.

"Not really." The Captain answered as he handed Ichigo back his sword.

"Goodbye, Ukitake-taichou." Ichigo said. "Goodbye, Unohana-taichou."

Unohana stepped forward to say her goodbyes. "Here, it might still hurt for a while. Since you wont be around here you should take this back with you." Unohana gave him a second bottle of the medicine he'd been taking. "Don't take more than one at a time. One every two hours would be best for the first day and then only if it hurts, alright?"

"Alright." Ichigo stated in understanding. "Thank you very much for everything you've done."

"Now, now. Don't fuss over him too much, he's a strong kid. He'll be fine." Ukitake injected. "Good luck, Ichigo. It seems... you just might be from the future after all."

"Just maybe, huh?" Ichigo laughed, waving. Rukia grabbed his shoulder, motioning a 'let's go'. She knew he could be contented saying good bye for another half hour, but goodbyes were easier when it was swift, when there was an ending to the goodbye. Or even if there wasn't really much of goodbye at all... at least that way one could trick themself into not realizing that they were losing something.

Rukia walked him through to the other side of the brightly lit gateway, neither talked for neither had anything to say until he stepped foot in the world of the living. He waved enthusiasticaly. "See ya!"

Rukia nodded. "Till next time."

The gate closed, shutting Rukia in with all the bright light. Right in front of him it vanished into thin air. He was in one of Urahara's rooms, he had the bottle of pills clasped tightly in his left hand.

"Home again." He murmured to himself. The idea of home sounded so foriegn, it almost felt odd to him that he could even try to return to his old life. Things had been so screwed up lately...

Ichigo took a moment of mental preparation before heading home.

------------------

Very quietly, Ichigo pushed open the door. It opened to the familiar living room area. The dim light infiltrated the darkness of the house from the opened windows. There were no living beings... or dead ones for that... besides him... Ichigo shut the door as quietly as he could. His eyes caught unfamiliar shapes in the kitchen. A few steps closer he could define a banner strung across the kitchen ceiling, its large colorful letters said 'Welcome Home'.

Ichigo approached catiously, looking around to make sure no one was hiding behind things. On the counter there was a fully decorated strawberry shortcake, plastic plates, and silverware.

"A welcome back party?" He asked aloud. "But where is everybody?"

After taking a minute to look at the set up in the kitchen he climbed the staircase to the second floor. No lights on up there either. _Where did they all go?_

Ichigo walked into his bedroom. Strangled light and cold air came through his open window. His most dearest mother, in her glowing beauty, sat nicely dressed in his pulled out desk chair. Hands were folded in her lap. Her tentative, loving eyes watched over the body of a small child laying in his bed. Over her shoulder he saw his own carrot topped head, his whole body completely still. It felt almost as surreal as fighting mud monsters (he shuddered at the thought).

_I'm dead. _Ichigo thought, not really having felt so much so before in this sense; that going into his Soul Body was literally dying.

Masaki's calm expression slowly broke, sitting in that big house all alone... it cracked to show some uprooted sadness. He having come just in time to catch her exterior beauty break open to the outside world. Her right hand rose to her face as she tried hard to keep it down. A half-sob escaped, wrinkling her saintly beauty with such dejected emotion.

A small hand gently touched the hand in her lap.

"Please don't cry, Mama." Ichigo coaxed. Masaki looked up to meet his bronze eyes. The boy, who just moments before lay lifeless infront of her, was sitting up watching her concernedly, and looking so very alive. Between them something unexpectedly manifested, it was more awkward than anything either had ever experienced with the other. Each was waiting to see what the other would do. It was Ichigo who finally broke it. He looked down ashamedly. "I've been cruel to you, haven't I? Mama..."

"As long as your home-" Masaki started, but he cut her off.

"But that doesn't matter, does it? It doesn't change anything. I made Mama cry. Being here stops it, but it doesn't make it go away." He stated, rather hypocritcally. He of all people understood the magic of how such seeing them seemed to heal the world.

"It does to me. It really matters to me." Masaki lightly grabbed his chin and lifted his head back up to look at her. "Because you're my little boy, and just seeing you brightens up my day. It makes the sun feel brighter, the clouds fluffier, it just makes everything better. I could never ever hold a grudge against you. None of it is even your fault. I'm not upset with you at all. I know your father said you could go, and you called when you were going to be home late. You don't need to apologize, you didn't do anything wrong, my sweet little nine year old." She could stay angry at Isshin, and she could stay angry at Rukia, but she could never ever muster any form of haughty anger towards her children.

"Before I left, Mama. I was home, I was here and I still made you cry. I was awfully cruel-" He rambled, determind to get his guilt across, as was his attempt to apologize for the hell he'd put her through the last month. Masaki opened her mouth to break into his ramble. "Please don't, Mama, I can't apologize to you if you wont even acknowledge that I did something wrong. Just listen to me for a second." He paused a moment, staring up at her; she made no move to say anything. "I am very sorry, I promise...I will take care of you from know on." Finishing his words he wrapped his arms around her, drawing her into his heart.

To Masaki it felt as if the world was restored, as if that solitary moment solved everything, as if it ended every trouble they'd been facing. And she realized that if she ever lost him again the world might as well crumble into little tiny pieces becasue there was no way she could ever stand not having him with her, somewhere safe she could watch over him always.

When that moment was over, of the encasement of her childs love, he state; "I'm not nine, any more... remember, Mama, I'm ten now."

She smiled, a slight inner pang of rememberance. "Yes, that's right. You're growing up, aren't you?"

"Where is everyone?"

"Your father took the girls to pick you up." Masaki said. "I'm sure they'll be back soon, your father is quite skilled it seems in presence detecting."

It was when he slipped his arms away from her that she noticed the thick black rings around his wrists that hadn't been there before. In white Japanese characters was the word 'osearu', meaning 'to suppress'. The bands themselves at first looked like some form of bondage, but with a second look could see without feeling it that both were thin and skin tight but not to a point were it pressed into his skin. It was as if the size was completely perfect. "What are those?"

Ichigo looked down at his wrists. "I guess...they're kinda like braclets...sort of. Rukia gave them to me."

"Really? That was nice." Masaki said.

"Yeah, it was." He agreed, feeling a bit akward. "Let's go down stairs."

"Of course." Masaki said. Her eyes begin to tear up as she nodded. _I love him so much. I don't know if I could live without him. _She followed her son down stairs, clasping onto his hand the whole way. She was afraid of letting it go. A thought dawned as her while they were walking down stairs, her brain had been trying to calculate how long it would take Isshin to get home. "How long have you been home?" Reasonably if she was unable to see him he could've been in the room with her for hours without her knowing it. Not that she'd been there for hours... that was exageratting, probably one hour at the very most.

"Not very long, Mama. I didn't see Dad on my way here either." Ichigo said.

"Big Bwadda?" Speak of the devil, two heads were curiosly peeking in from the front door. When they spotted him walking down the stair case they dragged Isshin inside by his hand. Overwhelmed with excitement they kicked off their shoes, let go of their father's hand, and pretty much tackled him at the base of the stairs. "You're home! You're home!"

"Yes," He smiled. "I am home."

"Did you have fun, visiting your friend?" Karin asked while Yuzu seemed to calm down to a more quiet meekness.

"...yeah! Lot's of fun. Sorry I left without telling you guys."

"Dat's okay! Now we get to eat cake because Big Bwadda is home! C'mon! C'mon! I wanna eat cake with Big Bwadda Ichigo!" Karin yanked him towards the kitchen.

Ichigo loved they way they just accepted him right back, no intense questioning. Right off the bat no one asked for an explination. Wheither they were saving it for later when he was more settled or if they'd ever bring it up he wasn't sure but he appreciatted it. _I wont disappear on you guys again. _He silently promised, watching the overexcited expressions of his little siblings. They gathered in the kitchen, they sliced up the cake, they happily sang songs, till their stomachs were too full to eat anymore cake. And then it was decided to be best to clean up a bit before they continued else where. Ichigo gathered the dishes to put by the sink while Masaki filled up the sink for them to soak. Isshin gave them a second to finish.

"So, did you take care of him?" Isshin inquired curiosly. There was no need to state who he was, it was an understanding conjured without pretense. Both Ichigo and Masaki were a bit taken by surprise, both seemed to have the same reaction; a silent astounded gasp that he would ask so blatantly.

"We got the Captains to take care of him. When they investigated they found enough proof to arrest him and sentence him to execution. So, it's all fine." He put on a false facade, never in a million years would he dare to tell them he'd spent the last few days in a hospital bed.

"And the other two?" His father asked.

"The same."

"What did you do?" Isshin asked.

He simply answered. "Tour the Soul Society."

After that the subject was dropped, and the rest of the afternoon was enjoyed with cake and the ringing sound of children's giggles. Masaki watched him expectantly, wondering if this time too that cheerfulness would disintegrate back into depression. She was just waiting for his beaming smile to disappear, for those horrid problems, all the worries to return. She and her husband had resolved nothing and her spiteful thoughts towards Rukia could only soften with knowing that he hadn't been in as much danger, that through her he hadn't attempted a frightful act of getting himself killed. And perhaps it was enough, what she did, perhaps it was just enough to fix things.

Tiny fingers slipped in her hand, he smiled at her, a gentle tugging to invite her over to where the rest of her family were becoming entwined in a ruleless game. Masaki excepted, that smile of his it seemed to just make everything disappear. As she watched it did not fade, rather his joyous laughter made it seem as of nothing bad had even happened.

**Is it the End?**

**!!Read Me!!**

The Choice is up to you, in my opinion there are a whole lot of plot points to wrap up and this doesn't really fit for the end of the story, no...that'd make a horribly ridiculous ending. So please read the next chapter! The next chapter? Yes, it's already out. I'll post the link, but if it doesn't work the next chapter is accesible through my profile (Click my Username at the top). You see (one of the reasons this chappy took me so friggin long) we are moving to the sequel. It might not make much sense why I'm moving to part 2 until you go read it, so I implore you. The sequel is called "Revisions of Us", and I'm sure you'll all enjoy it greatly.

A/N: I was very late with this one. Please, I beg you, don't kill me.


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